Cigarettes and Lavender
by bi polar
Summary: This was no life. Hating to come home and dreading every minute spent with his socalled parents. One decision changes Inuyasha's fate. He was a runaway. She was his savior. It was a life of secrets bound to leak out. InuKag
1. He Wanted More from Life

Disclaimer: I don't own any of Rumiko Takahashi's characters…which is pretty sad

A/N: So…this is it, our…er…my first fanfic. YAY! I'm uber nervous. Please don't flame I might cry. I guess constructive criticism is welcome…just don't be harsh…please. OK YAY!

**Cigarettes and Lavender **

**Chapter 1-He Wanted More from Life**

**Bi Polar**

It's the kind of feeling you get when all you want to do is curl up in a small ball and hide under a rock. That feeling was unbearably familiar for him. He had been sitting on the floor of his bedroom "doing his homework" for over 3 hours now. Of course, all of his papers were blank. The yelling of his parents could be heard downstairs. Inuyasha Takashi let out a tired sigh, getting up only to collapse on his bed putting a pillow over his head, trying to drown out the screams of his mother and the shouts of his father.

On nights like this he'd often climb out his window and walk down the street as far as he could get from his home, away from the fighting. He didn't know why he didn't use the door, its not like they would notice or even care. Somehow using the window seemed like a more rebellious thing to do, it seemed like he was trying to make a statement or something outlandish like that. Maybe he just liked windows more than he did doors. Well, whatever the reason he left that night too, crawling out the small window and down the gutter, silently walking down the streets with his hands in his pockets. He pulled out a small grey package, took out a cigarette and putting it to his mouth. It relieved his stress; they had been doing so for 3 or 4 years now.

It had been like this for quite some time now. Inuyasha couldn't remember a time when his parents got along. He began to wonder if they ever got along. Taking a sharp turn he entered the park. It was always sort of disturbing here at night, but it suited Inuyasha perfectly. It was quiet enough to think and peaceful enough to get away. He didn't know how long he sat there, wearing a watch was never Inuyasha's style. When he got home it was 3 in the morning, his parents had finally settled down.

Alarms are useless things; all they do is make a bothersome noise when most people would rather hear silence. Then again, Inuyasha would rather hear his alarm clock beeping then his parents' arguing.

Walking to school was easier than being there. He liked the calm stillness of the morning, school was the opposite. Everyone was always in a rush like they would die if they didn't get to some unknown place in seconds. They were brainless, cruel, and stereotypical.

White walls with the occasional piece of work done by students surrounded him now. He hated this place, he felt so confined and sometimes almost claustrophobic. He'd catch the occasional conversation. Someone named Mimi had a new boyfriend and was excited to go on their weekend date. Haisho thought his girlfriend was cheating on him and was going to ask her after school. Toboi was upset because he was one point away from an A on his Biology test. Some of the conversations made him smile to but most made him feel nothing.

"Today we'll be learning about how sulfuric acids interact with…" Mr. Moshimoto's voice was obscured by the gears turning in Inuyasha's head. His thoughts were elsewhere, in a place where there were no such things as fighting, isolation, and pain. His mind never stopped moving, the thoughts twirled around in there like lottery balls.

"Excuse me; do you have a partner for the project?" Inuyasha looked up wondering why anyone would ask him. In a school as big as this it was hard to get to know anyone, especially when that someone was Inuyasha. He tended to keep to himself, he didn't like crowds and he didn't like useless conversations.

"Hmm…strange." Inuyasha mumbled to himself. He had just noticed the boy's eye color. An extraordinary violet color, they looked somewhat hopeful. The boy with the violet eyes stepped back seemingly frustrated with Inuyasha.

Inuyasha sat there for a moment dumbfounded by the boy's antics. "Uhh…wait!" He said just loud enough for the violet eyed boy to hear. "I don't have a partner…I'm sorry for not answering you." Inuyasha looked down at his desk; he was never too good with talking to people.

"Great! Then you and I can be partners! My name's Miroku." The boy held out his hand in a friendly gesture. Inuyasha shook it with gratitude. He was pleased that this was one project he wouldn't have to do by himself. "Inuyasha." He whispered with a smile on his face. Inuyasha left the class lively.

The rest of his day was uneventful; he ate lunch out on the curb of the parking lot. It was a nice day and he didn't want to be in the cafeteria which was so crowded. Plus, it was a way for him to get away from the plainness of the school walls. He went to all of his classes turned in any homework that he had done, took some notes, but mostly spent his time daydreaming.

Now he was trudging back home, dreading it all the more with every step. He got there in record time. A whole 2 hours wasted walking home when he could probably be there in thirty minutes. They were yelling again. They didn't even acknowledge him when he quietly said "hello" and walked up the stairs, they just continued their argument.

"Inuyasha!" His mother's voice rang upstairs and into his small dark room. "Come downstairs now!" She didn't sound happy, but then again, when did she ever? He walked downstairs with his head down and his face showing no emotion.

"We got your report card today; they sent it to us in the mail." His father started out holding a white piece of paper between his thumb and pointer finger. "You've got two Ds Inuyasha." He said calmly, but anyone who had known him could tell he was about to burst.

"In what classes?" Inuyasha said still without emotion.

"That doesn't matter! You got two Ds! TWO! Damnit Inuyasha, why aren't you working harder? How can we tell you you're a great kid when you can't even pass two easy classes?" He was red in the face now, and a vein in his temple looked as though it was going to pop. Inuyasha internally smiled at the thought.

"Jesus! Great job Sei! You just made him feel like shit! You're one hell of a parent!" Inuyasha's mother was talking now…actually more like screaming. Her face abruptly went from wild to calm as she turned to her son and reached out to touch his shoulder. "Look Inuyasha, all we want is for you to be the best you can be. Just work harder, it's really disappointing to see that you're failing two classes." Her forehead creased as she frowned.

"I'll try." Inuyasha went back upstairs without another word. He closed his eyes halfway up trying to block out his parent's shouts. They came through anyway.

"Thanks a lot Izayoi! You gave me a shit head for a kid! He can't even pass whatever the hell those classes were. God, if he wouldn't have been born then we probably wouldn't be like this!" His father's voice bellowed down the dark hollow hallways and into Inuyasha's ears.

"Oh put a sock in it! You know as well as I do that we would have turned out like this anyway. Inuyasha is just the thing that set us off." Izayoi's high pitched voice bounced off the walls.

"He shouldn't even be here! If you would have listened to me and had just had that fucking abortion none of this stress would have been put on us." Inuyasha winced as his father said this. Of course, he had already heard this several times before but each time it hurt like the first. 'I wish I never would have been born.' He thought. He wondered how many people thought that in a day.

Inuyasha finished his homework relatively early. His parent's shouts had been lowered and to a minimum. He decided to hit the hay early. As he changed he looked at the scars trailing up and down his arms. All from self inflicted wounds, he cringed at the memories. It was his get away for awhile there, his salvation. His life wasn't all that bad when he put it in perspective; he just wanted more from it.


	2. Lucky

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any other characters that has come forth from the brilliant mind of Rumiko Takahashi…unfortunately.

A/N: You wouldn't believe how nervous I was to publish that first chapter. I had a panic attack; I had to breathe into a paper bag. Jeez…I'm a freak. Anyways, I've made this one somewhat longer…not really…but a little more so.

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 2-Lucky**

**Bi Polar**

"Hey! Inuyasha, why don't you come sit with us today?" Miroku asked while walking down the blank hallways of the school. It had been a week since Inuyasha had met the violet eyed boy. They had grown considerably close.

"Yea sure, I'll meet you over at the table after I buy my lunch." Inuyasha said quietly. He had grown quieter over the years.

Inuyasha stared down at his soggy lunch, not sure what it was though not sure if he wanted to know. He made his way to the corner table in the cafeteria. He saw, that with Miroku sat a young girl he had met a couple days before. Her name was Sango Tayia. Miroku fancied her, but not even his wittiest comebacks or most clever speeches could move the young beauty to think of Miroku as anything more than a friend. Though, that might have something to do with the fact that Miroku had trouble keeping his best behavior while around women. He was actually quite impulsive around them, throwing them lines laced with pretty words. Sango didn't seem to be moved by any of his appealing words. Then again, Sango wasn't you're everyday girl. She was rather eccentric; Inuyasha guessed that was why Miroku thought of her differently than all of the other blockheads around the school.

"Hey Inuyasha!" Sango greeted while sipping her chocolate milk. Her dark hair was pulled back in a high pony tail and it bobbed about when she waved her free hand. Her brown eyes shined as she smiled.

"Hello Sango." Inuyasha nodded setting down his food tray and taking his seat. He sat there a while picking at food, deciding whether or not he was in the mood for a risk.

"So Sango, have any plans over the weekend?" Miroku asked casually. Inuyasha smiled as he heard this, it was like this every day. Miroku would ask Sango if she was doing anything she would say no, then he would beg her to go out on a date with him, and then she would turn him down. Inuyasha began to wonder why he even tried anymore.

"Other than trying to avoid you, no." Sango replied wiping her face on her napkin while getting up to leave.

"Oh please Sango! Come on, this is the hundredth time you've let me down couldn't you just once give it a try?" Miroku turned around in his seat to see her walk away. He sighed and turned back to a smiling Inuyasha. "I don't know why I try anymore."

"Me neither."

"There's just something different about her…you know? Something that draws me to her."

"Miroku, I'm glad you trust me with all of your "deepest thoughts", but I really rather not hear about all of this mushy crap while I'm trying to stuff whatever the hell they serve here down my throat."

"Fine, fine. Hey, about our project. We should work on it today after school. What do you say?" Miroku's mood suddenly changed from joking to serious in a blink of the eye. He did that a lot, changed emotions in an instant, that is.

"Uhhh, yea, that'd be good." Inuyasha said unconsciously still trying to get enough nerve to eat the food on his spork. (A/N: you know a spoon and a fork in one! Gasps)

"How about you're place?" Miroku was now stuffing food down in his mouth giving it no second thought as the boy sitting across from him stiffened.

Inuyasha's amber eyes widened. 'No, we can't go home…' "Uhhh, actually my house isn't the best place…" Inuyasha's voice wavered slightly but he kept his straight face, just like he did when he was around mom and dad.

"Why not?"

"Umm…Our…heater is broken. So, it gets really cold."

"Oh ok. I guess we could go to my place. Though Moushi is a bit…eccentric." Miroku said tilting his head away from his food as he said the word eccentric.

"Who's Moushi?" Inuyasha couldn't help letting the question slip out, even if he knew it was rude.

"Oh he's my guardian." Miroku answered nonchalantly. Sensing the amber eyed boy's unspoken question Miroku said. "My parents have left this world." Inuyasha's eyes widened and his heart sunk for the boy sitting across from him. Miroku took notice to the somber change in Inuyasha. "Oh don't worry. I was young when they passed away. I can hardly remember them and the little bits and pieces that I do remember are hardly significant." Miroku gave him a bright smile to reassure him and Inuyasha relaxed. "So you want to come to my house after school?"

"Yea…" Inuyasha replied quietly with a nod of his head.

Miroku ushered Inuyasha into his house as the rain poured down on the two of them. Turning around after he closed the door he gave Inuyasha one of his toothy grins. "Follow me we can work in my room." He smiled walking up the stairs. Inuyasha nodded his head and gazed at all the pictures hanging on the walls, pictures of a young boy with the same toothy grin, the same black hair, and the same violet eyes. He could hear snoring from a different room but he didn't dare question it.

Miroku opened his door slightly to scan the area for uncleanness before letting the boy standing behind him in. Inuyasha stepped inside the pleasant room. The walls were painted a dark blue decorated with posters of half clad anime women, and other posters hanging on the walls. His floor was littered with some dirty clothes but mostly thick books and pieces of paper. In the corner sat a wooden desk, a computer sitting a top it. "You can set your backpack and things over there." He said pointing to the area near the desk.

"So what do you think we should start on? I was thinking that you could start on the poster while I look up information. Maybe we should make a power point. What do you think?" Miroku handed Inuyasha a poster board along with construction paper and some markers.

"Uhhh…sounds good to me." Inuyasha said a little flustered by Miroku's upbeat fast attitude today.

"Okay! Let's get started!" Miroku turned his back on the amber eyed boy sitting on the floor and started working on the computer. Inuyasha sat for sometime thinking of what he should do before finally settling on going with a blue/green/black style for the poster. You'd be surprised how much energy it takes to make a decision about poster styles.

Three and half hours had passed. Inuyasha hadn't noticed the time, he'd been relatively happy and the lack of hostility was refreshing. The two of them had the occasional conversation which usually led Miroku talking about girls, Sango in particular. "So are you staying for dinn…" Miroku was cut off by the sound of the doorbell downstairs. "Wait one moment."

He returned with Sango trailing after him. Inuyasha raised his eyebrows at the couple. "Uhhh…I just came over to…borrow some…sugar…errr…I mean…a book." Sango stuttered.

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows higher. "Riiight, I should actually be getting home." He gathered his belongings and messily stuffed them into his tattered backpack. "I'll see you two tomorrow." 'They need some time alone.'

Trying to avoid going 'home' Inuyasha took the long way that night. While walking home, he pulled out his pack of cigarettes and lighter. It wasn't stress he needed relieving but more so anxiety. Too soon did he get home, too soon for him at least.

As he stepped through the door, he saw a scene all too familiar. His dad had gotten drunk again and his mom was desperately trying to clam him down. "Where in the hell is that boy!" his dad slurred.

"Sei! Relax!" Izayoi cried.

Sei whipped around, striking her on the face. She fell to the ground cradling her red swollen cheek, tears freely falling to the ground.

Inuyasha's eyes widened. His façade had broken. For the first time in months he had shown emotion in front of his parents. This couldn't be happening to him. For all the years of watching his parents fight and argue he had never his father hurt his mother; only him.

Bloodshot eyes turned to see the shaken boy standing in the doorway stiff and disbelieving. "You!" His father roared his face red and his hair in a tangled mess. His mother still lied on the floor clutching her face; her sobs could be heard through the house. Sei stomped over to where his son stood soaked by the downpour; he grabbed him by the collar shaking him as if it would get his frustration across.

"Where the fucks have you been you worthless son of a bitch!" The vein in forehead was bulging causing his face to look even less pleasant than usual.

"I'm tired of this! Jesus! I'm so fucking tired of this! Don't think I don't know about it! You leave the house! You steal my cigs and drink the booze when we're not home! Gods! You're a horrible son; you're not even a son! You don't deserve to live!" At this he threw the boy across the room, Inuyasha's head smashed against the coffee table. Inuyasha gasped reaching back to clutch his head. He didn't get a chance. His father's large boot came crashing down on his side. Inuyasha bit his tongue trying to turn his focus on something rather than the boot crushing his ribs and moving to his head.

His mother's hysterics could be heard from where Inuyasha now lying. His father's obscenities where so loud and so cruel he couldn't even block them out with the always turning gears in his mind. He didn't fight back or even say anything. It would be useless. He was lucky, as far as Inuyasha was concerned, he was lucky his dad decided just to use his fists and combat boots.

His father finally backed away looking down at the bloody bruised boy lying before him. He sneered, his thin mouth curling into a disgustingly sweet smile. "The dagger is upstairs on the dresser." He turned his back on his son walking past his bawling wife and into the kitchen to make himself another drink.

A/N: I'm horrible. CLIFF HANGER! OMG!


	3. Late Night Drive

Disclaimer:No…he's not mine.

A/N: So here's the third chapter. Thank you so much to all the people that have reviewed I really appreciate it, it makes me feel so loved. :D I've been working hard to write this chapter while keeping up with school, so please forgive me if I get things wrong and such. In fact, I just finished "A Farewell to Arms" by Ernest Hemingway. Its ok, his writing bothers me because he shows no passion in what he writes, but that's ok! The story was interesting. By the way, so that everyone knows I have a fetish with eyes. That's why I mention them so much. OMG! EYES!

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 3-Late Night Drive **

**Bi polar **

Inuyasha reached his hand up and wiped some of the blood of his battered face. Slowly staggered up to the stairs; he could hardly hear his mother's pleas for him to stay with her. It hurt to think even to breathe. His parents' room was dark but he could see well enough to make out the dresser his father had indicated. He knew what his dad wanted him to do, it was clear to him.

Before he knew it he stood in front of the dresser mechanically picking up the decorated blade. His mind stopped, all that seemed to be going through it was "It's for the best." His hand traced up the sharp blade drawing blood from his thumb. His eyes narrowed and he contemplated the afterlife that is…if there's an afterlife.

His only focus was getting it over with and all his troubles would be gone. No more fighting, no more blank hallways, no more sleepless nights, and no more pain. 'It's ironic,' he thought 'ending my life with pain to rid myself of it.'

His eyes scanned the room franticly searching for a way out. It's that feeling you get when you find that you don't know everything for a test and you're trying to get an excuse to leave, or when you're desperately trying to avoid a conversation with a person. It's the feeling when you know that whatever you have to do, you don't desire to. 'I…I don't want to do this.' He realized. 'I need to get out of here…I need to leave.'

He dropped the dagger with clatter. His eyes landed on his mother's jewelry box. It was beautifully engraved with an elaborate Chinese dragon. Moving fast he threw open the lid searching for the money his mother hid inside. It wasn't much of hiding since they all knew she kept her savings there. '$132…that's all?' He thought. 'There's no time. I've got to get out of here.' He stuffed the money in his pocket and went to his room to pack.

He packed only the essentials including his father's extra pack of cigarettes. He took the same route he always took. Out the window and down the gutter except this time he wasn't coming back. Slinging his backpack over his shoulder he took off running down the dark street.

Inuyasha arrived at the bus station an hour later. And sat waiting for the next bus to arrive. He didn't know where it went or how long he'd be on the bus; it didn't matter though. The rain was still pouring and didn't look like it would let up anytime soon, that didn't matter either. It washed away any signs of blood from his figure except small cuts and bruises that were barely visible in the dark.

The bus arrived an hour and a half later and he climbed on paying the $1.50 that was mandatory. He chose a seat in the back away from the people. That didn't stop them from staring. He rode until he had to get off and find another bus.

He was in the outskirts of Tokyo now. The only bus that was running at this time of night was smack dab in the middle of the large city according to a bus schedule he had picked up. He walked the distance. He was tired and the rain didn't help much; it had been pouring non stop since the minute he arrived at Miroku's house. The thought reminded him of the violent eyed boy he called a friend but he pushed it aside instead opting for numbness.

Far off, through the hazy rainfall, he saw the light reflecting the bus stop sign he had been hunting for. He was out of it, to say the least. His head was heavy from the blows he had received just a couple hours before. The last thing he had eaten was one of Sango's pocky sticks a day an a half ago. He was shivering from the cold and from the lack of energy he had. But he had to get farther away. He stood under the streetlamp waiting for the bus to appear.

Suddenly a chill crawled up his spine. 'Something isn't right…' he thought. The hair on his neck stood on end as if someone was slinking their grimy hands up his back. He whipped around his eyes searching for the source of his uneasiness. His searching stopped when his sight fell upon a dark figure brooding in the shadows. His chest tightened and his breathe hitched. The figure moved into light relieving his blank eyes void of life His scruffy exterior and slow movements made it incredibly clear to Inuyasha that he was in trouble.

Inuyasha unconsciously backed away from the figure. The man took two steps and then in the blink of an eye stood right before Inuyasha. His cracked lips spread in a sadistic smirk showing his yellow teeth. His hands reached up taking the frightened boy by surprise. Before Inuyasha knew it he wasn't standing under the streetlamp anymore but instead laying in a murky alleyway nearby.

The mysterious man now had Inuyasha in a tight grip; his hands holding Inuyasha's arm behind his back. He was reaching for the boy's backpack. 'What the hell?' Inuyasha's already clouded mind became even slower as the man threw his bulky fist against his face.

The boy's eyes enlarged, he was going to get hurt…he was going to get what he was running away from. 'No, I'm not going to deal with this. This is what I'm supposed to be running away from.' In a distressed attempt to get away he kicked and hit at anything that was in his range. He didn't have enough strength to scream. He was dizzy his sight was blurred by the salty tears now rolling down his face.

He blindly hit around him and then his fist connected with the scraggly mess of hair covering the man's face. The man pulled back seemingly startled by the punch. His smirk widened and time froze. Inuyasha's breathe stopped, as pain seared through his side. Red…that's all he could see. His hand unconsciously went to his torso. Hot sticky liquid was seeping out drenching his shirt. His breaths came out as shaky gasps and he felt around the wound too afraid to look down, as his attacker looked through his bag, taking only the valuable things. Inuyasha felt around for something stable to lean on. The man peered over at the bleeding boy leering at him from his post. He left the alley way, pocketing a bloody knife.

Grey marked the edges of Inuyasha's vision, slowly transitioning into darkness. Inuyasha slumped against the wall falling into unconsciousness. It was some time after when he woke. His head fuzzy and his body aching. His eyes searched for his backpack. It was on the other side of the alleyway. Inuyasha suspected that he was left with now money now, but at the moment that wasn't important.

His brain was moving in an inarticulate clouded way. He didn't know what to do, he didn't know what to think, and he didn't know if he was going to live through any of this. His side had almost stopped bleeding slowly now, he tried to get up and he gasped as a sharp pain electrocuted through his entire being. He moved anyways. He stumbled in measured steps towards his pack his shoulder still against the brick wall Afraid if he moved away from it he'd fall. He had to get to it though, he didn't really have anything in there that would help him but he was in such a state that his mind was moving in a broken fashion he didn't know what he needed or wanted.

He lurched forward hoping to reach the wall opposite of the one he was leaning against. He didn't make it, he fell forward landing in a heap near his pack. His breathes came out shakier now, and his bleeding had started with the sudden movement. He rolled over onto his back grasping his side and sucking in a deep breath. 'I'm going to die…I'm going to die right when I decided enough was enough. Gods…that sucks.' He chuckled at that, despite his situation.

Then he heard a fast footsteps and heavy breaths. He turned his tired eyes to the sounds. He was surprised to see a young girl around his age making her way to him. Her deep blue eyes were wide with fright and her brows furrowed in worry. She bit her bottom lip as she kneeled by the crushed boy. Her slender fingers moved up to his forehead and tenderly moved some of the silver locks away from his eyes.

"A…Are you ok?" Inuyasha looked at the girl. 'What a stupid question.' He thought as he gave her a look that clearly stated that she was dense. He nodded to the gaping hole in his side. The girl followed his gaze and let out a gasp slowly bringing her stare back up to Inuyasha.

"Holy shit! I've got to call an ambulance!" She grabbed her purse and pulled at a tiny cell phone. As she opened it Inuyasha mind finally seemed to start to move. His eyes widened and his breathes came out faster. 'No! They report all wounds to the police. I'll be sent back.' In seconds the phone was out of the girl's hand and on the ground. The blue eyed beauty brought her angry gaze upon Inuyasha. "What the hell did you do that for!" She yelled at the injured boy who was now trying to get up.

He tried to speak but his words came out trembling and were hardly coherent. "No…please…they'll…get me…don't…make…go back." His throat was burning and his eyes were beginning to water. The girl's eyes softened as she got a look at Inuyasha's eyes, his eyes that held so much emotion and so little answers to the causes.

The saying "Eyes are the windows to the soul" never held so much truth than in this instance. She could see everything, the pain, the sadness, and the hope. She didn't understand where it all came from, but seeing the amber eyed boy before her she knew she had to do something.

Before Inuyasha knew what was happening he was being hauled up by the petite figure of the girl that was just sitting before him; his arm around her shoulders and her arm around his waist. He looked down at her his eyes half open. He managed to choke out a "thank you." She nodded. "Wait!" Inuyasha turned his head slowly towards his pack that sat a little ways from his feet. The girl followed his eyes. She knelt down Inuyasha leaning down with her. She picked up the bag and threw it over her shoulder. They made there way out of the alley the small girl lugging a bag, belongings, and a boy.

"Where…are we…going?" Inuyasha struggled to keep his breathing under control, his head swam. He was doing his best to keep conscious for the small girl helping him. "To my house."

Inuyasha was surprised to see that the blue eyed girl lived in a shrine, which also happened to be on a hill…257 stairs from the sidewalk. (A/N more like 492842384024 steps) The minute they got to the top Inuyasha collapsed, too tired to do much anything else. The last thing he heard was the girl's scream for help.

A/N: I know I know, a lot of fanfics end like this, or end a chapter like this, but I lack creativity today. By the way, I know he's not actually "driving" in this chapter, but it sounds better than "Late night ride."


	4. Alcohol and Old Books

Disclaimer: I don't own him…at all.

A/N: This chapter was a little longer, I was going to keep going but I thought it would be a good place to stop where I did. Once again thank you to all my lovely reviewers, without them I'd probably be in some corner sobbing about my failures. (Especially inashosetai 3) I went to the movies with my cousin who also happens to be one of my best friends. We took these retarded pictures in one of those booths that can only really fit one person. They give you like 5 seconds to get ready for a pose; me and him were scrabbling to get ready so our photos looked like we were on crack.

Oh by the way, Inuyasha isn't a half demon in this fanfic...maybe I should have put that one in the beginning but I'm an idiot. They're a bit out of character too…but…I like them this way, it helps my story. I just wanted to make it seem more realistic, you know. I hope you all forgive me. Ok now you probably want to read, so I'll leave you to that.

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 4-Alcohol and Old Books**

**Bi Polar**

Inuyasha awoke to the scent of lavender. 'I've always wondered what heaven smelt like.' His sight was blurred but one thing was clear. Instead of seeing the expected pure white walls, everything was a brilliant pink. The thought startled him and he bolted upright. A pain seared from his side up his spine and came out of his mouth in the form of a yelp. He put a hand over his mouth like that would take back the sudden noise he had just emitted. 'I need to get out of here.' His mind moved rapidly.

He dragged himself out of bed, quickening his pace when he heard hushed noises from the other side of the white door he was now moving towards. He held his side, which was now bandaged. Now that he was standing he saw that he wasn't wearing the jeans he had left his house in, as a replacement he wore red sweat pants. He also noticed that he wasn't wearing a T-shirt, instead he fashioned white bandages with faint red stains. His head also clad bandages, his hair poking out all over.

He was searching for his backpack. His head was swirling. 'Damnit what happened?' He couldn't remember only bits and pieces. 'I remember…I remember…him…the one who took me to the alley. That's all…no! I remember those eyes…those blue eyes.' Inuyasha's mind ached as he tried to place his memories back in place. And then he stopped, everything stopped. His breathing hitched and his body stopped sifting through the room. The door was opening.

He stood before a middle aged woman. She looked startled, her eyes wide with surprise her tiny mouth forming a small "O." Inuyasha backed away from the woman. 'It's actually quite pathetic I'm afraid of a woman in a flower apron.' He thought ironically. His back came in contact with the pink colored wall.

Then the flower aproned lady spoke. "My! What a surprise to see you up!" Her eyes went from surprised to cheerful and she smiled at the boy standing across from her. "We weren't suspecting you up for quite sometime, especially with that wound in your side." She slowly started walking towards Inuyasha. His eyes searched for a way out and his breathing quickened. The apron clad woman must have noticed this. "What's the matter?"

'Something's not right. Why is she so nice?' Still he searched for a way to leave. "I've…I've got to…leave." The words stumbled from his mouth. The lady kept moving forward towards him.

She reached out her hand and Inuyasha instinctively recoiled as if expecting a blow of some sort. The woman frowned at this and in a flash Inuyasha was in her embrace. She held him close to her and he mechanically tensed. His hands were held close to his sides and his back went straight as a pole. She didn't seem to mind the uncomfortable tension though. She squeezed him softly in a motherly way.

"It's ok…we're not going to do anything to you." He relaxed as she whispered the kind words into his ear. She back away still holding Inuyasha's shoulders. She gave him a kind smile "Would you like something to eat?" Inuyasha nodded feeling like he had finally found an adult he could trust. She smiled and instructed Inuyasha to follow her.

He sat at the kitchen table as the apron clad woman fixed him something to eat. He felt slightly uncomfortable still not knowing his caretakers name. As if sensing his uneasiness she turned to him and gave him one of her light smiles and said in a soft voice. "You can call me Mrs. Higurashi." Inuyasha nodded and gave her a shy smile.

"My daughter found you on her way home from a friend's house. She thinks you were mugged. Its crazy how society has gotten hasn't it? She thought it better to bring you here than to a hospital. She never told me why, maybe you could shed some light on that, hmm?" she turned to the silver haired boy. He sat with his eyes turned towards to table. The pieces and images of the night he left home placed themselves in the appropriate place as if a puzzle. He shook his head, answering Mrs. Higurashi's question. He was afraid she'd turn him in and he'd have to go back to that horrid place where he had spent most of his days.

"Oh I see." She took it lightly turning her back on him. Inuyasha's heart dropped, he felt as if he had betrayed her for some unknown reason. She came back a minute later with a large bowl of soup and a big glass of iced tea. Was this how mothers were supposed to act? "I always thought soup was nice when I was sick or hurt." She sat across from him with her own bowl of soup. "So where do you come from?"

"Kofu."

"Oh that's a lovely town. I went there last spring to visit a friend."

"Yes…" The conversation was dull and uncomfortable and he was relieved to see Mrs. Higurashi get up and put away her bowl. She went into the other room, and came back a short while later with Inuyasha's backpack in her hand.

"Kagome brought this home when she found you; she said it belonged to you. Don't worry we didn't look in it." She handed Inuyasha the bag and then grabbed her purse and car keys from the hook besides the back door. "I have to go to the grocery store for a little while. I hope you don't mind. You took up most of our bandages. Is there anything that you would like me to pick up?" Inuyasha shook his head and she smiled and left the room, and then peeked her head back in to add, "Oh, and if you steal anything, please take the things with little sentimental value; like the television or the phone."

Inuyasha was surprised to see that she trusted him at all, but even more so surprised that she would allow him to take their household items. She walked out of the room with a wave of her hand and he sat there for a moment; his bag in his lap and spoon dangling from his hand.

He lost his appetite after that; not because of Mrs. Higurashi, but because his side hurt so damn bad that he was afraid nothing would stay down. He brought his bowl up to the sink and out the window he spotted an enormous tree on the grounds. The sun hit it just right and it almost looked holy. The humongous trunk shot out of the ground; it branches supporting the lovely spring leaves. It's those sorts of sights that you just feel like you need to sit down and look at it. So out the back door he went, bag in hand.

The day was absolutely gorgeous. The sun was out, and only a few clouds lined the sky. (A/N Quite different from where I'm sitting; its raining like crazy…sigh Seattle.) He stared up at the bottom of the branches and saw peaks of blue showing through the thick mass of green leaves. He smiled, fully, for the first time in what seemed liked years. It took awhile to get to the branch he wanted to sit on but after he got to it he was glad he had put his effort into it.

His bag dangled off another branch nearby and he grabbed it to see what the mugger had taken. 'All my money, go figure. Damnit; my CD player…and all my CDs…what a jackass, hmm...some clothes…wow…that's kind of sick; he took a pair of underwear. Guess he wasn't a smoker." At this thought he grabbed his cigarettes and his lighter he bought at the gas station back home. He lit it, took a long drag. 'Full, complete relaxation.'

* * *

"Hey Kagome! Are you ok?" Eri waved her hand in front of her friend's face.

"Oh! Yea, I'm fine, sorry about that." The girl said. Her black hair fell well past her shoulders and framed her face wonderfully. Her bright blue eyes twinkled as she smiled at Eri. She held her books close to her chest and walked along with her friends to their last class.

"You seem really out of it today, is something on your mind?" One of them said, Kagome hadn't really kept track of who was talking, she was too busy thinking. After all, who wouldn't think when there's a strange boy sleeping in your bedroom? Her thoughts flowed back to the amber eyed stranger that she had found 5 days ago. "Kagome?"

"Oh, sorry…again. Um…no nothing's really on my mind; its just one of those days, you know?" She smiled again, but her thoughts still remained on the young teenager.

Once she had got him home, he immediately passed out. Her mom came out and was surprisingly calm about the whole situation. Kagome made it clear that 911 (A/N or whatever their emergency response number is) couldn't be called. Her mom didn't question much further, they took the boy into the living room and cleaned him off. He was really quite handsome after all the blood and dried dirt was cleaned off. He had high cheekbones, which brought out his outrageous eye color. She suspected them to be colored contacts. His silver hair, which she highly doubted was his original color, was just above his chin. His figure, she had to admit, was even better than her own. They replaced his clothing with old sweatpants that had belonged to her father; of course she left the room when her mother did this this.

They brought him up to her room after they cleaned him up, and she sat by his bedside for quite some time. She really didn't have a clue why she did that, but it just seemed like the right thing to do. His breathing was shallow but as normal as one in his condition is to be. She watched his lean chest go up and down with the breaths he took and expelled. They left him with no shirt and she was rather surprised to find scars marking his entire being. They traced from up and down his arms, to his chest, to his shoulders. She wondered what could've happened to him, but let it drop as it grew late.

"Are you sure?" Ayumi said, twirling a bit of her curly hair around her forefinger. She was a quiet respectful girl, a romantic really; and Kagome loved her for it.

"Yea, I'll be fine, thanks though."

"Is it a boy!" Yuka was a different story. After she had had her first contact with a boy she had loved them ever since. She was deeply obsessed with other's lives and loved to whisper around gossip and rumors. Eri tended to follow Yuka's trend.

"No!"

"It is!" Eri and Yuka all but screamed in unison.

"If it was a boy Kagome would have told us. Isn't that right Kagome?" Ayumi whispered.

"Oh bag that! Jeez, Ayumi, you really are innocent. The first rule about boys is that you never tell anyone until they beg you to." Yuka said holding her pointer finger in front of Ayumi's face.

'I've never heard of that rule…then again, I've never heard of any of these rules, they just make them up so they have rumors to spread.' Kagome was use to their questioning. "So which guy is it? I've heard Hojo has his eye on you." Yuka winked.

Kagome sighed turning to the girls who all stopped in the middle of the hallway to hear the important news. "Yes I'm sure…Hojo hasn't talked to me at all. I'm not having any sort of relationship with him or anyone else for that matter."

"…Fine…" Eri and Yuka sighed in defeat and Ayumi giggled at their antics.

Kagome walked home fast that day, wanting to see if the stranger had woken up. When she arrived home and discovered no one was there. 'Mom's probably refilling our first aid kit, which is almost creepy huge. Souta is at school until 4 and Gramps is staying at that one guy's house…what's his name, oh yea Shoshio, 'the priest from the east' as Souta would say.' She thought.

She put her bag down and walked up stairs, quietly opening her bedroom door. The expected scene, the sliver haired amber eyed boy lying peacefully in bed, was not seen. Instead her covers were on the floor and there was no one lying in it. She panicked. Her first instinct was to see if anyone was here, but seriously injured. She checked all the rooms. No one was here, and nothing was stolen oddly enough. She expected their china to be gone, their TV, there jewelry, or anything else of value. She was still worried though.

She ran to the kitchen searching all over the counter tops for the phone under piles of bills, pictures Souta had drown, phone numbers, and school work. Nothing was there and she went to the next area. That is, until she saw a figure in red perched atop the sacred tree. Her hands stopped moving and her heart stopped pounding. He looked at peace up there, on the Goshiboku(I'm sorry if this is wrong, please correct me.) 'I should go introduce myself. I don't think there's anything dangerous about him. If he was going to do anything he would have done it by now.'

"Excuse me?" Inuyasha looked down from his high resting place to see those blue eyes staring right back at him. "Uhh…my name is Kagome; I'm the one who found you in the alleyway." She fidgeted with a strand of her raven black hair. Her eyes looked hopeful and kind.

"I'm Inuyasha…and…thank you, for saving me…" He was barely loud enough, but she heard him. She smiled widely and let her strand of hair go.

"Why don't you come on down, I'll make us some tea." She motioned with her hands. Inuyasha didn't really know why he went with her, he wasn't that hungry or that thirsty and it was difficult to get out of the tree with his wounds. He went though, maybe it was her eyes, but whatever it was he knew he could trust her. Her whole being was comforting.

Kagome beamed as the boy slowly climbed from his perch. When he got down she gave him a grin and held out her small hand. He shook it and smiled shyly. She led him indoors again and put on a teapot and then came back to sit down across from him.

"So have you met my mother? Was she here when you woke up?" She asked, her hands kept together on her lap.

"Yes, she's a very nice woman."

"Yea, she's great. So where do you come from? And why, may I ask, where you out at that time of night?"

"I'm from Kofu. I…hadn't realized the time…when I was out."

"Oh…ok." She didn't believe him, they both knew that, but for the time being it was just enough to get her off that subject. "How are you feeling?"

"Good, a lot better."

"Hehe, well I would hope so! You were a total wreck when I found you."

"Yea."

"So…uhhh…what happened before I found you. If you don't want to talk about it its ok, I understand." She was fidgety again and he wondered if she only got this way when she wanted to ask something.

"…uhhh…I got off the bus…was mugged… and that's about it." He finished his lovely narrative off by gulping down the rest of his tea.

"Oh…did you happen to see what he looked like?"

"Not really. His face was covered by his hair and it was dark. He smelt funny…" Inuyasha's eyes glazed over, and he seemed to be reliving some event in a distant time.

"…He smelt funny?"

"Yes; like a combination of alcohol and the smell of old books that have never been open." He came back from wonderland with a timid smile on his face.

"Hmm…" She smiled thoughtfully taking his empty cup and bringing it to the kitchen sink.

A/N: My charming reviewers, I just thought I'd put them down here…because…well just because.

**Auxana**: Thank you for putting me on your favorite list, I'll try and get enough time to check out your stories.

**Inashosetai: **:D I love you're long reviews! They make me feel so damn loved! 3 Yea, I like checking out random stories, regardless of the summaries and titles. But I don't get a chance to very much. I go to a college prep school so I've been loaded down with work. D: I friggin' love you for all of your kind comments. I hoped that this one would be different, I was just afraid to put it on the internet…because I'm a wuss like that. But I'm glad I have because now I get uber cool reviews like yours! I'll try and look at your stories when I get time and leave you a couple reviews. :D

**Inu's-Mate**: Yea…but as I said at the beginning of this chapter, he's probably not going to be a half demon. But, muggings can be brutal, so stay off the streets at night! …er…sorry. As for Kagome, you're probably right that she wouldn't swear, but when you find a bloody boy in an alley you're first reaction is going to be a little frantic. But thanks for the input. :D

**Laura-chan**, **Trallgorda**, **Nanirain, Inuyashabooklover5188, Rabbitstew, desertwater, Roses**: THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH! YOU GET 48234207429 GOLD STARS. 3

If I missed any one I apologize, I love you anyways! Haha I'm so sorry that my Author's notes are turning out to be longer than my story.


	5. Doorsteps

Disclaimer: I'm getting so tired of writing these…I don't own Inuyasha.

A/N: OMG! I'm so sorry that it took me this long to update. I'm sure you probably don't want to hear about my excuses but I'm going to tell them to you anyway. Well this week was really hectic; the local news in Seattle came to my school so we had to prepare for that. Then I had 5 tests to prepare for. One in Spanish, one in English, one in Geometry, an essay to write for my history class, and a presentation for Biology. sigh So much to deal with. But now that this week is over I'm just happy to be free. I'm planning to get my hair cut, I wanted to dye the ends blue or white but my mom wouldn't let me. Jeez! She said my hair is already too damaged. Yea, so I'm pretty much pissed at her now. So yes! I should get back to the story for all of you!

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 5-Doorsteps **

**Bi polar **

"It's not much, but it's all I have and I want you to take it." Inuyasha held out an array of coins and of folded bills to Mrs. Higurashi and Kagome. His face was turned to his shoes, as if he was afraid he would scare them if he looked up.

It seemed like forever before anyone even dared to make a sound. The silence and tension could be cut with a knife. Inuyasha's hands had gotten considerably more clammy as time passed, his breathe was shallow fearful that if he make the slightest of noises something would happen. Of course he didn't have a clue what, but just the fact that it would break the silence was enough to terrify him.

And then it was broken. It sounded like nails on a chalkboard. Not that Mrs. Higurashi's voice sounds like that; it just broke the stillness in a startling manner. "I'm sorry, we can't accept that." Her voice was calm.

Inuyasha looked up, his eyes confused and questioning. He didn't say anything, he just stared.

She read his mind saying, "Well, that's too little, we paid quite a deal of money on your injuries young man, and here you are giving us this much?" She held up the bits of coins and bills and then dropped them back into his hand. He looked down at his feet again, his cheeks turning bright red with shame. He still held out the money, like he didn't know he was doing it, but somewhere in the back of his mind he wished that if he held it there long enough they might take it. No such luck.

"I guess that just means you'll have to stay here…" Inuyasha's head snapped up his eyes wide and confused. "You know… to pay off the debt." Her eyes twinkled in amusement, and Kagome giggled behind her hand.

"We'll give you food and a room…for your labor." Mrs. Higurashi held out her hand waiting for Inuyasha to comprehend all that he was hearing. Kagome changed her attitude to match one of businesswoman's and also held out her hand, trying to keep her face straight.

Inuyasha's mind didn't seem like it could keep up, and that was one hard thing to do. 'Why the hell are they doing this?' He couldn't quite comprehend it, but he understood it well enough that he knew it was okay…it was safe. He smiled and shook Mrs. Higurashi and Kagome's hand with politeness and eagerness.

* * *

They put him to work right away. He swept the shrine grounds, washed the floors, vacuumed, cleaned the windows, and various other things. Most of his tasks he assigned to himself, he wanted to make sure that he made up all of the trouble he caused the Higurashi family. 

Today wasn't any different; he got out of his warm bed, keeping quiet as to not wake Souta who was sprawled out across his Dinosaur bed spread. He was lucky that Souta had kept his bunk bed. They had decided that it was best if the younger boy slept on the top bunk while his temporary house guest took the bottom. Inuyasha was happy with any decision.

He was still borrowing clothes, but when he got enough money he would go out and buy his own attire. Kagome once told him that the clothing had belonged to her late father. He didn't ask what had happened.

Her dad's pants were a little short and they reached just above the ankle. His shoes were left intact after the mugging and he was thankful, he would've died if they had taken his Converses. He decided that he would take a walk in this early morning fog. He guessed it had to have been 3 or 4 in the morning. 'I suppose the routine of taking walks in the morning hasn't quite worn off.' He thought as he pulled a borrowed sweat-shirt over his head.

Inuyasha carried his backpack with him and walked down the 257 steps leading from the shrine to the main road. It was cold outside and he could see his breathe, it looked like smoke. It was foggy and wet, and it made him yearn for hot cocoa, but he kept walking. As a habit, he pulled out his cigarettes and lit one taking a long drag.

He walked down the street heading in no particular direction, every once in awhile cars would speed pass him. 'I wonder if there's a park nearby.' That's really the only thing he missed about Kofu. The park near his house was so serene and hushed.

It was an hour later before he decided to turn back, he never found a park. It was relatively easy to find his way back and he kept himself busy watching his breathe because he could no longer smoke. He was afraid he'd run out of his cigarettes and he wouldn't have a way of getting anymore. Walking up those steps would kill a man and he resolved that he liked escalators better.

He was taken aback when he saw Kagome sitting out on the front doorstep, a blanket hanging loosely off her shoulders. Her cheeks were pink from the cold and her hair wet from the early morning dew. She looked like a doll, the kind where you're too afraid to touch them because they might break. She was sleeping and her light breathes floated through the air and adding to the fog.

Inuyasha walked up to her and kneeled besides her figure. He cleared his throat, hoping that would be enough to wake the resting girl. She didn't move an inch. He coughed a little and she stayed still. Enough was enough; he wasn't going to sit around all day trying to wake her up. He shook her with enough force to wake an elephant and she sat up with a start, her arms flying wildly in the air. She turned to see him, wide eyed and backing up.

"Er…I'm sorry." She bowed her head, cheeks turning pink with embarrassment.

"Uh, that's ok."

There was an uncomfortable silence and both debated whether to start up a conversation. He was sitting next to her on the front porch, both of their faces turned towards the ground. Inuyasha broke it with the obvious question.

"So…uh…what are you doing out here?"

"Oh! Well, I heard you get up and when I saw you walking down the steps I thought you were leaving. So I came out here and waited for you…I just…wanted to make sure you were ok, and that you weren't going away." Her head seemed to be glued in a downward position.

"Oh…Thank you." He felt lightheaded. After all, it isn't very often Inuyasha had this sort of attention. It felt nice. He wondered briefly how she woke when he left but not when he tried to, but quickly pushed it aside. The silence wasn't as uncomfortable now, and they both sat there looking at the early morning mist.

It was a while later when Kagome spoke. "So, um, I've been thinking. Since you're going to be living with us now, I thought that maybe we should get to know each other better. So, do you want to walk me to school in the morning so we can talk and stuff?" She was all fidgety and it bothered Inuyasha. It made him feel like he needed to fidget too.

"Sure." This girl interested him.

"You want to go inside for some hot cocoa?" She had stopped fidgeting, making him feel more comfortable and he nodded.

* * *

"Where do you think he is? It's not like him to miss school." Worried violet eyes met brown ones. (A/N: See! My fetish) 

"It's probably just a cold, Miroku. There's a bug going around." Sango kept cool headed despite the sickening feeling in her gut.

"For the short time I've known him I know he'd rather be here at school than sick in bed."

"And how do you know this?" Sango stopped in the hallway turning to face the dark haired boy.

"I'm not sure…" He said with a thoughtful profile. "I can just tell, I mean it just seems like him. He isn't one to sit around and wait, but…I think there's something going that neither one can grasp."

Sango raised an eyebrow in a questioning stare but ignored his comment and continued walking down the hall. " What do you think we should do?" She said quietly.

"So you think it's odd too?"

She nodded and held her books closer to her chest. "Yea, but…I'm not really sure if we should do anything, I mean…we don't know him that well."

"Well enough."

"I don't know." She seemed uneasy, but knew what was right and turned to the boy standing next to her. "what are we going to do?"

"Get a phonebook."

"What?" She turned towards him her brows furrowed in puzzlement.

"Let's find his address, we should visit him."

"Yea…I guess."

"We'll go after school; we could get his address from the phone booth."

* * *

"I can't believe I haven't asked you this before!" Kagome was racking her brain for questions while she and Inuyasha walked to her school. "How old are you?" It was really quite a dumb question; it probably should have been one of the first ones asked. 

He smiled, not bothered by it. "Seventeen."

"Wow, you're only a year older than me. Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Probably." He didn't look up at her and all of the sudden he felt like he needed a cigarette. His palms were sweaty despite the cold weather.

"Why aren't you in school?" She sounded genuinely curious.

"Because…" He didn't have an answer.

"Because?"

"Because…I don't want to go." That was a lie, along with a lot of other things.

"Oh…so you dropped out?" It didn't sound like an accusation or anything, but she made him nervous which made him want to end the conversation quickly.

"Something like that. So…er…what's your favorite color?" 'God, what a stupid question! Nice move asshole.' While Inuyasha berated himself Kagome wondered what this boy was hiding but tossed the into the don't-care-right-now trashcan.

"It depends on my mood really." She answered. "Today…I think it's green." She grinned at him.

"Why?"

"Well…doesn't everything look greener when it's rained, and last night poured. Spring has such weird weather, but anyway…I find that trees and things are pretty to look at after it's rained. Don't you?" She turned her view to the trees lining the sidewalk and the early morning grass.

"I suppose…I always thought it looked more…cold and murky."

"I guess it's the way you look at things."

"I guess so." There really wasn't anything else to say, and that was okay. They continued walking down the street, his hands in his pockets and hers holding her book bag. The silence was welcomed.

* * *

"So this is the place?" Miroku looked at the torn piece of notebook paper that had Inuyasha's home address messily scrawled on it and then back to the two story house in front of them. 

It wasn't pleasant and it wasn't a awful. It was painted a sickly pale pinkish color with a darker pinkish trim. The fence that lined the backyard was broken and cracked in so many places it was pretty much useless. The yard was overgrown and the paint was pealing from the siding, but it was suitable and it wasn't as terrible as some of the other houses in the neighborhood. (A/N: Yea, so like, I basically just described my old house.)

"Yea…I think so, according to the directions." They considered themselves fortunate that only one Takashi lived in Kofu, otherwise they'd be in some serious trouble. They hopped out of Miroku's truck and walked to the front door, knocking twice then stood waiting for an answer.

It had been raining last night and the gutters of the run-down house were still trying to get rid of the water. That's all that was heard, the steady sound of the gutter's draining and the occasional shrug of clothing of one of the two teenagers that stood on the doorstep.

"I don't want anymore chocolate and I really don't want to convert to your religion." A feeble voice sounded from the other side of the door, no one could be seen through the tiny slit the person had opened up. They were beginning to close the door when Miroku's hand shot out and stopped it from shutting on him and Sango.

"Actually, we're not here for either of those things."

The door slowly opened to relieve a woman in her late thirties. Her long dark hair was pulled back into a messy pony tail. The right side of her face sported a large bruise, her eyes were red and her cheeks were blotchy. She had been crying. "What do you want?"

"We're classmates of Inuyasha, and we were wondering if he was sick today." Miroku still held the door open, afraid that if he didn't she would surely slam it in his face.

He wasn't sure if she was angry or crestfallen, but her face contorted and she turned to glare at the both of them like they had committed some crime. "You have no right coming here to ask about him! It's none of your business what goes on in this house and I suggest you recognize that! Don't go around sniffing into other people's business! You have no right!" She waved her finger around madly while saying this before she finally stopped and slammed the door. Sango and Miroku could hear the lock from the other side. Something here wasn't right and they both knew it.

A/N: If I got anything wrong please tell me. I'll try to update sooner next time. And thank you once again to all of my splendid reviewers; you're all truly lovely. :D


	6. Red Irises

Disclaimer: sigh I don't…own…anyone…at the moment!

A/N: Firstly, I would like to apologize for the problems in chapter 5. It got all screwed up because I was trying to figure out how to do line breaks, or whatever, and it totally screwed up everything. I'm sorry. Ashamed Also…I'M SO SORRY FOR MY INABILITY TO UPDATE! more ashamed I feel like such a retard. I was out of town for a week in a half. I want to let everyone know that I probably won't be able to update this month and the beginning of next month. REASONS! 1) Only two more weeks of school, which means finals and parties so I'll be busy studying and hanging out at other people's houses. 2) I'm going to Europe! YAY! So I'll be away…meaning I won't have anywhere to update…like no computer. 3) I'm actually trying to start another story…just for you guys! The good news is though that I'll probably be working on the stories while I'm gone, so I'll be able to finish like 432473275974923 chapters. :D

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 6-Red Irises **

**Bi Polar**

The weather hadn't changed much, it was still frightfully cold and they could still see their breaths, but at the same time, they both felt a little warmer having each other besides them. She noticed over the span he had spent with them, about a week including the period when he was asleep, that he was more of the listener than the talker. They talked about everything and nothing at the same time. They could get so much from saying so little, and that's what made it all the more enjoyable to be around one another.

"What are you going to do today?"

"Just sweep the grounds; your mom is getting a little defensive about cleaning the house."

"She likes to keep busy." She smiled at him her eye twinkle in the early morning sunlight.

They walked in silence enjoying the stillness in the air. It was early morning, spring, and a Tuesday; these facts made Kagome dread to go to school. Tuesdays just made a student yearn for Fridays and spring made them yearn for summer. They were always longing for something.

"Remember I have cram school today and Souta has soccer practice. So you don't have to pick either one of us up." They had just finished dropping Souta off at school and were on their way to hers. He only nodded staring up at the trees that lined the sidewalk. "Hey Inuyasha?"

"Hmm?" He still gazed at the treetops.

"Do you remember what the guy that mugged you looked liked?" She asked timidly.

Inuyasha stopped walking and turned to look at her. He wasn't afraid anymore, he just was wondering what Kagome was getting at. "Yes."

"Well…I was thinking, you should turn him into the police." She started to fidget, once again making Inuyasha want to fidget, but he held back. The silence was deafening and it seemed like the world had stopped moving just to hear his answer.

"No."

She stopped messing around with the hem of her scarf and looked at the amber eyed boy standing with her. His eyes were turned towards to trees once more and started to walk again. She stood there for awhile trying to gather what he had just said. One simple word had ruined her flow. She was still staring at the place where her companion used to be standing when she noticed that he had begun to walk again. She ran to catch up with him. "What do you mean 'no'?" She was walking besides him.

"I mean what I said, and I said no." He didn't mean to sound like a smartass but the conversation was beginning to get on his nerves.

"He almost killed you! And all you can say is 'no'!" She was more surprised than angry with the silver haired boy, but she still did not see his logic. She grabbed his shoulders and turned him to face her. His face was emotionless.

"Kagome…" His eyes softened and he took her wrists off his shoulders. "That was in the past." He held her hands to comfort her and she felt a blush grace her cheeks. "I don't want to cling to the past anymore…" His amber orbs held so much and what was the most eminent right now, was the utter sorrow they kept within their depths.

She searched his eyes for quite some time when she finally smiled timidly and nodded her head. He grinned back and opened his mouth to say something when she cut him off. "Ok…I understand. Let's go." She walked down the street completely aware that she still had a hold of one of his hands.

He stared at their entwined fingers, he felt his face heat up and his mouth go dry. She didn't dare look at him in the face, she was too embarrassed by her actions to do anything of the sort, but she also didn't dare let go of his hand. Something about his eyes and when he talked about "clinging to the past" made her want to hold onto him tighter than ever.

* * *

It was too soon for the pair when they got to Kagome's high school. Well actually, if you must be technical "near" Kagome's high school. Inuyasha understood that she was afraid of the rumors that would spread if they saw her walking with some unknown stranger, and now, holding hands with that same stranger. So she politely asked him if he would "drop her off" near the bricked building. 

The stood beneath a tree near the building for sometime, just standing there, her right hand clasped tightly around his left one. Neither knew how to say goodbye.

"So…er…" Inuyasha rubbed the back of his head with his free hand.

"Um…"

And then, in a split second Inuyasha found Kagome clinging him, her head resting on his chest, her arms around his neck. He gasped and looked down at the black mop that was her head and found himself smiling. His arms encircled around her back and he gave her a light squeeze. She backed up and beamed before waving goodbye and jogging to get to school on time.

* * *

The walk home was dreary and depressing. When he opened the door Mrs. Higurashi stepped out of the kitchen handing him a broom and grabbing her purse. "I have to go get some prescriptions from the drug store. I'll be back in a second. You can sweep the grounds while I'm gone." (A/N: I always make her go to the store when I don't want her around. Doesn't everyone?) 

He stood in the kitchen holding the broom for a couple minutes after she left. It was hushed; the only thing that could be heard was the kitchen light that hung above the sink. He took the broom outside and swept the grounds while she was away. He was still sweeping when she got back.

"Why don't you take a break, dear? I can make us some tea or something." She smiled warmly and took the broom away from his rough hands.

They sat in the kitchen, tea cups sitting in front of them. She was glancing through a magazine and he was day dreaming.

"So, how was walking Souta and Kagome to school today?" Her voice was soothing; it reminded him of the mother's you see on TV, like the lady on the Brady Bunch. He had only seen those kinds of mothers on the television and had stopped believing they were real when he turned 6 years old.

"It was nice." He turned to her, his eyes wrinkled in a true smile.

"I'm glad." She got up to take in her bowls, like she always did. He was surprised to see that she came back to sit with him. "So…tell me about yourself Inuyasha. I think I have a right to know a little about my new boarder, don't you?"

He sat there in silence for a little while before saying shyly. "What would you like to know?" What else could he say? It's not like he was going to spill his guts to some lady he had met a couple of days ago.

"Simple things, like what's your favorite color?"

He was relieved that he didn't ask anything that would make him remember what he had left behind. "Er…I really don't have one." He was still debating his favorite color, sometimes it was red, and other times, red scared him. "How about you?" He suddenly remembered his manners.

"I love the color yellow." He smiled at her. The color suited her. "Hmm…then what's your favorite…flower? I know…it's kind of a girl question, but tell me if you have one."

He thought. When he was young he remembered his family's background and how it was overgrown and sometimes if he was lucky he'd find a flower amidst the tall blades of grass. _She _had told him that they were called…"Irises."

"Oh…those are lovely flowers, aren't they? I think I have some growing in the yard." She beamed then got up to wash out his tea cup. He left to finish sweeping the grounds.

* * *

Kagome came home to silence. Cram school had run late, once again. It was around 10 and she had not expected to find anyone awake. Still, she had hoped someone would have waited for her. She flipped on the lights to lessen her fears and walked into the quiet kitchen. The sink dripped and the refrigerator hummed. On the table sat a note with her mother's handwriting. 

_Kagome honey,_

_I suspected that cram school would run late with finals coming up so I left you some dinner. Heat it up in the microwave for 5 minutes and it will be fine. Try not to get to bed late. I love you! _

_-Mom- _

Shesmiled at her mother's thoughtfulness. Cram school was long and horrible. She still had some homework to finish up too. Dread welled up in her stomach much like an illness would. Kagome ate her food in silence listening to the dripping of the faucet and the humming of the refrigerator. She went upstairs with the knot in her stomach getting worse. Her room was dimly lit while she sat at her desk quickly working on whatever homework she hadn't finished.

* * *

It was the same dream that had been haunting him for the past couple of weeks. It still bothered him despite the many times he had dreamed it. It left him cold and sweaty and desire for water. 

_He was 5 years old again and sitting on his bedroom floor. She was sitting with him. Her smell pine and old people flowed through the room. Notebook paper littered the floor. _

"_Oh Inuyasha, you really need to stop writing your "R's" backwards." Her withered voice was kind and light. He tried again._

_Heavy footsteps were heard throughout the house. Heavy drunk footsteps. He hated that sound. She got up, her tired body hunched in old age. He was standing in the doorway angry and intoxicated. _

_What seemed like seconds later he saw her shriveled body at the foot of the stairs. Red splattered the floor and he clutched tightly to the notebook paper which only minutes before she had taught him how to spell his favorite color. _

It was the same as it had been for the weeks. He woke up with cold sweat running down his back and chest. Inuyasha was shaking; he bit his tongue to keep from screaming. It was an old habit. At home there were consequences for being loud. Here, he just didn't want to have people ask any questions.

He got up out of bed. The hallways were dark and deathly still. Downstairs he got himself a glass of water. Inuyasha paced the room, wiping sweat from his brow and practiced breathing deep. When he felt calm he walked back upstairs. Kagome was awake, light shown from the bottom of her door.

The floor creaked when he walked across it. He jumped when Kagome opened her door slightly, light flooding the hallway. He turned to look at her. Her blue eyes were red with the lack of sleep and her hair tangled from dozing off once in awhile. "Oh it's just you Inuyasha. What are you doing up so late?"

"It's nothing. I was just thirsty." He smiled to reassure her.

"Oh I see. Hey…Inuyasha? Do you know how to…um…find the inverse matrices?" She looked down at her feet embarrassed that she was up at 12 and only on her 4th problem.

"Yea…"

"Can you, maybe…help me then…please?" She still had her eyes glued to her feet.

"Oh…umm…okay." He walked into her pink room scented like lavender. She closed the door and afterwards he felt more confined and nervous. But then she smiled at him and all those feelings evaporated. She got her books and sat down on the floor the motioned for him to sit by her.

* * *

They worked on her homework for little more than an hour. And she understood it all, which was an added bonus to the short amount of time it took for her to do the problems. Inuyasha was lying on his stomach with Kagome sitting cross-legged next to him. She held her homework on her knee, biting her bottom lip in concentration. He watched her from behind his silver mop of hair. 

"Oh…I see…" She mumbled in audible things to herself which made Inuyasha chuckle, she didn't notice though. "12!" She exclaimed turning to look at Inuyasha with the widest grin on her face. He golf-clapped for her.

"So, are you done?"

"No…3 more problems left." She frowned. "You can go to bed if you want to."

"No that's ok; I'll stay until you're finished." He looked out her window at the dark sky, sprinkled with specks of stars.

"Ok." She smiled and turned back to her work.

It was quiet for another 45 minutes before she shut her book and gave a large sigh. "I'm done!" She grinned.

"That's great!" He got up off her soft floor and wiped imaginary specks of dust off his pants. He wasn't sure what to do. Stay? Go? Ask her if she needs anymore help? She left him confused and dazed and he didn't know why.

"Thanks so much Inuyasha, I'd probably be up until 5 in the morning if it wasn't for you." Inuyasha nodded his welcomes and started to walk to the door, Kagome followed him. She stopped him right as he was about to leave the room. He stared down at her and she looked anywhere but his eyes.

"So…are you just going to keep me here until tomorrow or…what?" She had a hold of his t-shirt, gripping it tightly and twirled her hair with her free hand.

She leaned up, placing her head on his shoulder and her arms around his back. He was surprised; this girl was full of them. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around her waist and closed his eyes. She did the same. They stood there in that position for some time before she pulled back only to lean in once again to give the tiniest peck on his cheek.

She lowered her eyes. "Thanks for everything Inuyasha."

His face was hot and his palms were sweaty when she closed the door. He stood outside of her room for a few minutes bewildered and blissful. He walked back to Souta's room in a daze, like he was walking through a huge foggy dream, except tonight's dreams wouldn't involve _her_ or the red. The color that stained so many of his memories.

A/N: So that's the end of chapter 6. With some fluff for some of my reviewers, 7 pages long…that's a new record for me. Also sneak peak into Inuyasha's past, something besides abusive parents. And for those of you who don't know Irises mean (if my sources are correct) hope.

I'm still really sorry for being so late. I feel so guilty. By the way, for any of you that know algebra 2 and know about inverse matrixes…I'm proud of you. Because I don't know anything about them and I'm just sort of guessing about the whole 12 thing. So yea…If they're like suppose to be fractions of something pretend you don't notice my obvious mistake and my horrible math skills.

Ok…so yea. I'd really like some reviews but I'm not going to force any of you. Thank you once again to inahosetai, I can't wait to see your artwork. :D Thank you also to all of my fabulous reviews, you're all fantastic! Over and out my friends. :D


	7. The Scent of Home

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Inuyasha character, the band The Elected or their song Greetings in Braille.

A/N: **IMPORTANT: **I will be leaving for Europe on Monday and won't be back until July 12th, so until then, you're just going to have to use your imaginations about what will happen next.

Now that I have that done with, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to use song lyrics anymore, because I heard that you're no longer allowed to do that, but I'm going to do it anyway right now. I'm sorry it took me so long to update, school ended yesterday, so I worked hard to finish one more chapter for you guys before I leave. I've been having one hell of a time trying to finish these things up. I'm sure it will get easier as the summer comes into play. So no worries, I'll do my best to finish this up. I've also started on another story, but I don't know if I should tell you about it now. Maybe when I get back.

TO INAHOSETAI: That's ok if you can't get the pictures, but maybe when you get a chance you can put them on photobucket or something, whenever you get the time. I hope you have a wonderful time in California. :D

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 7-The Scent of Home**

**Bi Polar**

He was running out of cigarettes. That's the only thing he didn't like about this place, no one smoked, no one to get his free fags from. It was the morning after he had helped Kagome with her homework. He was still sleeping when she left for school, which was a first. Mrs. Higurashi had left to pick up some food for Kagome's grandfather's favorite dinner. He was coming home for the weekend tonight. That's what was making Inuyasha so tense, he needed a smoke.

Kagome's grandfather had been staying with an old friend and fellow priest and planned to go back. His friend, Shoshio, was ill and in need of someone to help him run his shrine. Kagome said that her Grandpa had trusted her mother and her to take are of their shrine while he was away.

"Inuyasha!" Mrs. Higurashi's voice rang through the house and Inuyasha's heart twisted in panic. He heard her footsteps walking through the living room and making their way to the kitchen where he stood with a fag in his mouth, still lit. "I'm home! Where are you?"

Inuyasha thought quickly; spat out his cigarette stomped and buried it. He frantically searched his pockets for anything to kill the scent that was clinging to his clothes and breathe. Nothing; running into the kitchen grabbed the Cheez-its that sat on the dining table and stuffed a handful in his mouth, threw off his jacket and flung it out the door.

"Oh hello Inuyasha, I was wondering where you were." She walked through the door just as he closed the backdoor. His heart was pounding, his brow was sweaty, and he felt like he was going to throw up. He nodded turning away to wipe his face clean of sweat. "What are you doing?"

He chewed his food and in a quiet sloppy voice he said "Eating…"

Mrs. Higurashi turned to look at him with a skeptical eye before smiling and saying "Just make sure you don't eat the whole box, you'll ruin your appetite."

Inuyasha breathed deep and put the box back before heading out back to get his coat. That was too close.

* * *

Miroku and Sango sat in his used…very used…car. The soft melodious music of The Elected floated through the interior; but neither of them noticed.

_If my senses fail, stay with me 'til they go  
'cause I don't want to be alone.  
Greetings in Braille, they'll describe everything,  
colors aren't everything. _

After the visit with Inuyasha's mother, they had decided that something was wrong and went out that weekend to search for their missing friend.

_And if you see me down at the liquor store,  
please don't tell my dad.  
And if you see my dad, down at the liquor store,  
don't tell me anything at all._

"Where should we start first?" Miroku looked away from the road to ask Sango, she was staring out the passenger's window searching for the silver headed youth.

"Anywhere…anywhere away from his house." Her somber response only added to the atmosphere of the crowded car. Miroku nodded in understanding

_And you were cold, tired and old as you'd ever looked that night.  
And we were warned, yeah.  
We were warned not to stay out too late.  
But some things were worth getting in trouble for._

It was quiet again and the two of them kept their hopes to themselves. Miroku watched the road and occasionally glanced out the window wishing to see a flash of silver or Inuyasha standing on the side of the road in one of his usual hands-in-the-pcckets-dowcast-face poses. God how he wished to see that. His calm exterior didn't make up for his frantic anxious insides. He had seen the news, about all those kids that are kidnapped and killed, he had seen the news and it killed him inside to know. Sango stared intently out her window, the same things running through her head.

_So now that you finally failed  
just like you said you would, down to the last detail.  
Well, if living's such hell, here's to your dying days.  
You won't have to be afraid. _

_But our bodies were pulled away and swept out to the sea  
and I'd call and say hi if I thought you'd remember me.  
cause some things are worth leaving old memories for.  
If my senses fail, stay with me 'til they go  
'cause I don't want to be alone.  
Greetings in Braille, should describe everything  
'cause you can't see anything from here.  
From here, you can't see nothing at all._

The song ended and the DJ came on talking about concerts and new artists, things that wouldn't interest the two concerned teenagers.

* * *

Kagome's grandfather would be arriving any moment now, and Inuyasha was becoming more and more jumpy. He didn't know why. It wasn't like he would be staying. He didn't dare smoke while they were all home. He was sitting in Kagome's room on the floor while she studied her English book. He was leaning against her bed rubbing his hands together and messing with the hems of his pants.

"Are you nervous?" Kagome looked down at Inuyasha from spot on the bed. He only nodded not looking up from the ground. "Don't be. Grandpa is a nice guy. Seriously he probably won't even realize that a guest is here. He's like that." Inuyasha nodded again, her words didn't bring much comfort. "If you're really that nervous you're free to do anything that can calm you down."

Inuyasha thought for a moment; nothing at the moment came to mind.

"Pacing can help, reading a book, writing something down, listening to music, drawing, umm, maybe going for a run or something." She suggested

He didn't move, just sat there. She sighed and came to sit of the floor with him. He was warm and comfy. "You shouldn't worry. Grandpa isn't going to interrogate you or anything."

"I know."

"Then why are you so nervous?"

"I don't know many old people."

That, for the most part, was true. He only talked to old people when it was absolutely unavoidable, that actually went for most people; but old people especially. The oldest person he knew was his history teacher, he was in his late 70s and spoke in a monotone.

"Oh I see. Well, don't worry! He's nice, and you're likable, there's no way he'd be disappointed." At this Inuyasha smiled.

They sat there enjoying the quiet and the breeze that floated through her bedroom. Her head fell against his shoulder and rested there, comfortably. It was complete bliss, a moment that could not be ruined by old memories or fear; it was home.

Then the doorbell rang and the two leaped apart like lightening had struck between them. Kagome's mother was calling them all down. Souta and Kagome raced down the stairs and Inuyasha slowed to a turtle's pace

He stood at the top of the stairs as Kagome and Souta hugged an aging man. His hair was a ripe gray color pulled back into a traditional pony tail. His beard was long and pointed and his eyes were small and beady. He wore the conventional shrine clothing and held a blue suitcase in one hand. Inuyasha smiled, despite his anxiety.

"Oh it's so good to see you again!" Mrs. Higurashi was standing near the stairs as kids hugged their Grandpa she was bubbling, everyone could tell.

"It's good to be back, even if it's only for a little while." He held his grandchildren close to him kissing the tops of their heads, well, the top of Souta's head and Kagome's cheek.

"Oh Gramps, I've missed you." Souta beamed, one would think his face might fall off with such a huge grin. But, it was only natural; growing up with such little father influence Grandpa was the only one there that was relatively like a dad.

"I've missed you too." Kagome said quietly her face buried in his shoulder, he smelt of cigars, Old Spice, and that strange elderly people smell; she loved it.

"Oh yes," Kagome's mother looked up the stair to see Inuyasha standing there a small smile a lit on his face. "We have someone very special for you to meet."

"Oh?" Grandpa raised an eyebrow.

"This is Inuyasha, our house guest." Inuyasha was walking down the stairs as she said this. She turned to him and gave him a smile before putting her arm around him in a friendly gesture.

"And where might have you come from?" Grandpa said this, meaning well of course, but looking less so.

"Umm…Kofu."

"Oh I see. And how did you get here?" The old man was raising his eyebrows gripping his grandchildren tighter.

This is where Kagome stepped in, breaking away from her grandfather to stand next to Inuyasha and her mother. "He was mugged Grandpa. We found him and he was badly hurt." She wanted to hold the boy's hand but decided against it; her Grandfather was already on edge with a stranger in his home.

"Oh…How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"That's good."

There was an awkward silence after this. No one dared to speak or move, Grandpa was staring intently at the lanky silver headed, amber eyed youth before him and Inuyasha was staring intently at his feet which were now fashioning a lovely sock with a huge hole right where the big toe should be covered.

"We asked him if he would stay and help with the shrine." Kagome's mother saved the day, once again.

"Ah! I see. Well, thank you for helping my family take care of this old place. It takes quite a bit to keep it up, you know." He smiled but his eyes still held a suspicious glare.

"I should be thanking them for saving my life." Inuyasha held his eyes down low and bowed slightly.

"So where am I going to be sleeping?" The elder man exclaimed.

"Well…your room…is being used for storage and such." Mrs. Higurashi said, a little embarrassed for using her father's bedroom as a storeroom. "And Inuyasha is sleeping in Souta's room. So…I guess…"

"I could sleep on the couch." Inuyasha offered.

"Well…if it's not too much trouble to move your things that would be very kind of you." Grandpa said, still eyeing the boy but looking upon him less harshly.

Inuyasha walked up to Souta's room, made his bed, stuffed any loose clothes he had into his small backpack, threw it over his shoulder and walked back downstairs within seconds. Grandpa gaped at the boy while he hauled his blue suitcase up the stairs.

Inuyasha sat on the couch and Kagome came to join him. "I'm proud of you." She said giving him a nudge. He grinned.

"Thanks."

* * *

Grandpa had shared every known fact about the kitchen table now, and Inuyasha was becoming drowsy. His eyes wouldn't stay open and they just wanted to shut and rest awhile. He had to stay awake, though, he had too.

"…and that was how he died." Grandpa finished up his 2 hour long tale and go up from his chair. "Well, I'm quite tired; I'll see you all in the morning. Thank you once again Mr. Takashi." Inuyasha nodded his head showing his acknowledgment.

Inuyasha got up after that and fell into his temporarily made bed on the couch that Kagome and him had made a couple hours ago. He didn't even bother changing and fell asleep to Grandpa's loud snoring and the scent of home.

A/N: So that song was by The Elected, they're pretty cool. 3 It's called Greetings in Braille. So that's it for now. Please review, because then I'll feel special.


	8. A Game of Pretend

Disclaimer: Don't own him…or anybody else.

A/N: So many things to talk about and so little time…not really. If you don't know I was in England and Ireland. Which was fabulous, the people there are so nice. I went to England to 5 days and then headed over to Ireland. Missed, the bombings in London by only 3 days; really scary. Because when you're watching that kind of stuff on the news and you know that you were just there you can't help but think "Holy shit…I could've died last week." Its quiet a reality check.

Okay onto the main order of business, which is why this chapter came out so late. Well there are many reasons actually and I'm sure that you could care less, like anybody reads any of this anyway. But! I want to clear my conscious, so if you don't mind. The first real reason is because after coming back from Ireland, a 9 hour plane ride I had a nasty case of jet lag. I was asleep for most of the day, and when I wasn't asleep I was sleep walking. Apart from getting back into the swing of things I had to take care of my very sick family. Mom, Dad, brother, sister; all deathly ill; vomiting, fevers, runny AND stuffy noses, case of the coughs, the works. Oh don't get me wrong, I was sick too. But it seemed I was blessed with getting sick during the vacation not afterwards. Now the family is in top condition but my internet is down. It seems that it caught a virus. So finally the internet is fixed and I am finally updating, I'm rather relieved. Well, that is my story for you all about my week back from the fantabulous countries of England and Ireland. The End. On with the story…well the story you all want to read.

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 8-A Game of Pretend**

**Bi Polar**

It had been 9 days since Inuyasha went "missing." Well, that's at least what Sango and Miroku assumed and hoped for. They didn't let their fears come out in words. Sunday night and they were still driving around Kofu searching every last nook and cranny for their friend.

Earlier that day Miroku went to the police. He assured Sango that he wouldn't say a think about their silver headed companion, in a way that would be illegal. I mean you don't just go to someone's house, talk to them and then accuse them of covering up their son's disappearance. What he did find out though was the amount of days before a missing person was actually declared "missing." He told them it was for a school project, they could really care less though. If said missing person was accused of foul play the police didn't send out search parties for about 2 weeks, children were immediately at the top of the list to be found. Old timers, especially ones with illnesses, were up there too. Teenagers cam next, but weren't taken as seriously, considering their behavior.

"We have Thursday and Friday off, you know." Miroku said quietly, like he was afraid that if he spoke any louder the windows of the car might crack.

"We should go to Tokyo." Sango said in the same solemn hushed tone.

"I agree, that's probably where I would go too."

Miroku took Sango home at 2 in the morning that cold Sunday day. Neither one of them slept.

* * *

Inuyasha had already cleaned up his short-term bed, ate breakfast, swept the grounds, dusted and polished the main shrine, and was now watering the plants that Mrs. Higurashi cherished so much when Kagome's grandfather came downstairs. 

"I don't know what you're trying to pull boy, but I'm not buying it." The old man stood right behind Inuyasha leering over his shoulder.

Inuyasha flung around to face him, his words came slowly, cautiously. "I don't know what you mean…I'm just doing my job."

"Look, I know you're not who you say you are, and I don't know why my family believes you or even how you got them to believe you." The elder squinted his eyes giving an all to familiar glare; Inuyasha shuddered.

"…Mr. Higurashi, all I want to do is live and work here peacefully even if it's only for a short time. I'm trying to repay them for saving my life; I'm not trying to con you or your family."

"I'm watching you boy." He gave him another chilling glare and walked back to the kitchen.

Inuyasha started at the elder Higurashi as he walked away. The hair on his neck stood on end, he felt cheated, betrayed almost. He thought that maybe he wouldn't have to go back to feeling that way; that maybe he had found a place where people didn't treat him like a piece of shit. Inuyasha ignored the feeling and went to watering Mrs. Higurashi's irises.

* * *

Kagome was washing the dishes and watching Inuyasha from the window. He was in his tree but she couldn't tell what he was doing. Grandpa sat at the kitchen table, drinking tea and reading the newspaper. 

"I don't think he should be staying here." Grandpa didn't look up from the Sports section.

Kagome rolled her eyes, it took Gramps awhile to warm up to people, she was use to it. She continued to watch the silver haired 17 year old, remembering that she had never asked him about that, his hair that is. "Grampa he was hurt, and there was no way I'd just leave him there."

He Grandfather scoffed but she said nothing else. Kagome sighed, dried her hands, grabbed two apples, and walked out the back door.

"Hey! Inuyasha!" Kagome stood at the base of his tree. Inuyasha stared down at her. "Come down and have a snack."

He hopped down with inhuman grace and sat down next to her. She smiled at him; they munched on their apples in silence. "Is he bothering you?" She asked, ashamed for her Grandpa's behavior.

"I've dealt with worse." Inuyasha shivered again but turned to give her a measuring grin.

* * *

School was hardly important any more; it seemed they were the only two that noticed Inuyasha's vanishing. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday couldn't have possibly gone any slower than they did. Thursday early morning, Sango and Miroku left for Tokyo. 

Both agreed that telling Inuyasha's parents would cause more trouble than it was worth. The sick feeling in their stomachs still hadn't gone away; they'd felt like that ever since they had talked to Mrs. Takashi. It was a quiet ride with only the radio making a sound.

When they arrived in Tokyo they went to the closest Motel, they needed to stay and that place had to be cheap. The city was crowded and busy; the kind of busy that makes you feel like you should be busy too. In a way they were busy, they had made missing posters last night and planned to use them to their full advantage.

They stood in a small motel room. The orange-ish carpet, infested with dirt clods, added a 70s flare to the look and feel. The wallpaper hung loose from the walls and spiders crawled in and out of the walls themselves. The bathroom was an unnatural yellow, which made neither of them too eager to use it. The beds were hard and you could feel the metal poke you as you lied there. They each claimed a twin bed, put their suitcases down and left to use the bathroom in the fast food restaurant across the street.

* * *

Kagome's grandfather was killing him. His constant "friendly reminders" were making him wish he would just roll over and fall on a bed of knives. Unfortunately, that's not how things work in the real world, what does work is stress relief. In Inuyasha's language that meant smoking; now everyone knows that smoking kills. It leads to slow and painful deaths, usually due to clogged arteries meaning heart attacks and strokes. But saying you're going to quit is easier than actually doing it. 

Inuyasha browsed the local 7/11. Shoplifting at any 7/11 is one of the easiest things in the world, not counting the guilt that followed. It's not like the owners weren't paying attention it's just that, chances with the teenage population were not good. But Inuyasha wasn't going to shoplift, not today at least. He couldn't live with stealing from the poor old guy that owned the shop.

He walked up hesitantly to where the old man stood, behind the cash register. He stood with a hunch, his eyes warily spying the silver headed youth. He smiled pleasantly, his eyes crinkling. "Uh…I'd just like your cheapest pack of smokes." Inuyasha looked down at the bills and coins he held.

"You don't seem old enough to be smoking, young man." The old man continued to smile as if he had said nothing at all.

"Erm…"

"Let's make a deal. I'll let you buy a pack of cigarettes if you also buy 2 packs of nicotine and a pack of those patches that you stick on your arm. I want you to use them though, the nicotine patches that is. What do you say?"

Inuyasha's doubted that he would try the gum and patches, but Kagome's grandfather was going to drive him insane if not more than that. He needed the cigarettes, but he could do without the gum and patches. That is why would he want them? Another look at the kind old man and he thought about it again. He would feel a lot better, that was for sure. He might as well try it, considering he had probably already taken 17 years off his life. "It's a deal." Inuyasha gave him a toothy grin.

"Good, but please try them. I promised my wife a year ago and I haven't smoked since." The old man lifted up his white shirt sleeve to show Inuyasha a patch on his tan wrinkly arm; he smiled and nodded his head.

"I promise I'll give it a try." Something about the withered hunchback of a man handing him a pack of cigs along with the drugs to prevent smoking them made Inuyasha seriously think about life without relying on them all the time. Inuyasha's walked out of the store feeling a little less anxious.

* * *

The dinner table was quiet in an almost graveyard like way; besides the clinking of china and the hushed 'excuse me's', no one spoke. Inuyasha found it most uncomfortable looked around the table to see if anyone would start talking. Anyone would do, and any topic would be fin, someone just _needed _to talk. 

He was almost glad he had bought those cigs; he was having the most powerful craving right now, but didn't excuse himself. No…silently, under the table, he pulled out one of the patches from the pack in his jean pocket, slinked his hand up underneath his shirt and stuck it on his scarred chest. Sighing deeply and mentally giving himself a million gold stars for his good deed he leaned back in his chair.

"So…" Finally someone had spoken, but maybe the silence was for the best. Kagome's grandfather looked up from his plate and stared Inuyasha in the eye. "When are your parents expecting you back home?"

The question, had somehow failed to have been asked. But knowing the two female Higurashi's they knew where to stop the questioning. Souta could care less but the elder Higurashi, no, he was merciless. Kagome and her mother stopped sipping their tea and sat there wide eyed and staring at Inuyasha.

He began to fidget, a habit picked up from Kagome. "Ummm…" He sat there going through the files in his mind desperately trying to find something.

"Hmmm?" Grandpa leaned back in his chair, a cocky grin plastered all over his face.

"They're dead." The first think that popped up in Inuyasha's mind also happened to blurt out of his mouth.

The room went back to its previous silence but the tension had gotten a great deal more noticeable. Inuyasha felt he had to say something. "They died…3 months ago…" 'Oh great, yea that'll help. Digging yourself a great big grave there Inuyasha.' He thought.

Inuyasha put up his best acting, acting which had saved him from being killed countless times while facing his father's wrath. He stared straight into the table, squeezing his eyes shut so they just barely watered, he wanted to be convincing but he also didn't want to lose anymore pride than what had already been stolen from him. He pushed his food away. "May I be excused?" He whispered.

"Of course, dear." Mrs. Higurashi spoke and he felt his heart sink. If only he had a mother like her, if only his parents _really_ were dead, then he might have been happy. If only. Inuyasha scooted his chair back, keeping his face unseen, for now real tears had made there way to his eyes and were refusing to stay hidden. He walked out the back door and towards his favorite tree. The rest of the dinner party turned to glare at the elderly man as he sat there bewildered and guilty.

* * *

It had been an hour after Inuyasha had excused himself from dinner and Kagome was wondering whether he was ever going to come back inside. Grandpa had gone up to bed after that, blameworthy and depressed; completely recalculating his image of Inuyasha. Mrs. Higurashi tucked Souta in, assuring him that his "big brother" was going to be fine and that all he needed was some time to himself. But Kagome sat in the kitchen with a cold cup of tea sitting on the table in front of her and her thoughts on the young boy that had just left the room. 

She had had enough. Inuyasha was going to come into this warm house and sleep on the nice comfy sofa or she'd die trying. Her sweater wrapped tightly around her, she stepped outside and into the chilly air. She stood in her all too familiar spot, at the base of "Inuyasha's tree." He was silent, probably thinking. She cleared her throat and in seconds Inuyasha was standing in front of her, his eyes hollow and his face straight.

"Er…" She had nothing better to say.

"I'm sorry for leaving like that." Inuyasha looked at his bare feet and sat down with his back against the old tree, she joined him.

"Grampa should be the one apologizing to you."

"He didn't know." It was like a game of pretend, a very dangerous game of pretend, but still the same concept.

"Still…some things you just don't ask. I mean, mom and me could tell that something was up and we were just going to let you tell us in time. But Grampa…he just doesn't understand." She held her knees up to her chest and laid her head down on top of them staring at Inuyasha's thoughtful profile.

"No…he had a right to know. Allowing someone into your house without knowing anything about them is dangerous. He was just being careful. He wants to protect you guys, I understand."

It was quiet and only the breeze blowing through the branches of the tree could be heard. It was calm and that's what they both needed after the fiasco in the kitchen.

"How did they die?" Kagome still stared at Inuyasha with some kind fascination that made him tense and relaxed at the same time. She had that kind of effect on him, she left him baffled. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No…I'll tell you." 'Seeing as how it never really happened, sure why not.' He thought to himself. Telling her a complete lie was harder than just plain lying. She held this sort of innocence that some people envied and others loathed.

But before he knew it he spewed out a story. Once you started lying it was hard to stop, almost like smoking, the fuses to bombs; they're hard to put out. "It was a fire, they think an arsonist. Three months ago. They had gone to some dinner party with some friends and had left me home alone. I didn't expect them home until early morning, so I went out. I came home with the house on fire and my parents being carted out in body bags." Inuyasha paused here, holding his head in his hands. He didn't feel right lying to Kagome, it gave him a sick feeling in his stomach, but not lying would probably send him back home. "They sent me to live with my cousin, here in Tokyo. I left though, he was an alcoholic and I had had enough of him coming home drunk with willing whores. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had stayed; if maybe things might have been different. I miss how it used to be." His thoughts landed back to _her_. He guessed that's where all of the passion came from, he missed _her_…not _them_.

"Oh…Inuyasha!" Kagome held the boy in her arms. Her chin resting on his head, he kissed the top of his silver locks from time to time. "My dad…" She stared off slowly, hesitantly. "My dad died…about 9 years ago, thank you for not asking about it though. Usually, that's the first thing that people ask."

"Your welcome; I understand." He hated it when people asked him about his dad. You can only say so many nice things about the man who beats you.

"He was caught in a shoot out, a hold up by some teenage punks." Inuyasha's head still lay in Kagome's lap, she stroked his head affectionately and he closed his eyes enjoying it. She was somewhere else though. "7 people including dad died that day. Shot three times in the chest. I was 7, Souta was 3. Now that I think back, I don't think that I fully understood that he was never going to come home."

She looked up at the branches of the tree they sat under and pulled her sweater more firmly around her. "By the time the police found them 3 out of 5 had committed suicide. I guess the guilt got to them. The other 2 were sent to juvy for 17 years. They went easy on them because of their age and because of that I lost my dad." Tears came to her eyes and Inuyasha felt he needed to do something. So he took her hand, hoping that maybe it would make her feel better. She took it graciously and smiled down at him, wiping her eyes. "My dad was a good man, caught in a bad situation. The worst things happen to the best of people, don't they?"

"Sometimes it seems that way." Inuyasha stared up at the reminiscing girl and then back down to their interlocked hands.

"So what do you say we go back inside and hit the hay, hmmm?" She smiled let go of his hand, stood up and then held her hand out to him again.

"That sounds good right about now." Inuyasha took her outstretched hand and held onto it as they walked up to the back door.

Then Inuyasha stopped. They stood outside the kitchen door and Kagome gave him a questioning stare. "What's wrong?" She asked, genuinely concerned.

"I just…I wanted to say thanks." Inuyasha turned to look at Kagome, taking her by both of her hands. They stood under the porch light, the cold air making them both shiver. She was beautiful and her eyes were as blue as ever. And then it hit him, in the span of 11 days this girl, who otherwise seemed like a regular everyday teenager, had saved him and had put him back together.

Kagome felt her heart drop and then pop right back up again. She had always been mesmerized by Inuyasha's eyes but in the dark they glowed and in a sort of haunting way, they were gorgeous. Tonight they showed more of him than he probably would ever tell; she was reading him like an open book.

"I…ummm…." Words failed him and as he leaned down in what he hoped was a somewhat romantic fashion, his fear kicked in. He stepped back and looked Kagome in the face. He was sweating, his palms were clammy, and he couldn't help but feel like dinner was going to come up. It took Kagome awhile to realize that the long awaited kiss was not going to happen so she opened her reluctant eyes. He was afraid, she could tell. So she took matters into her own hands, she wasn't going to wait around for him to contemplate what he should do.

She had to stand on her tippy toes but she got there. Her lips found his. Inuyasha barely knew what was going on; she had somehow gotten her arms up and around his back while her lips were firmly placed on his. Inuyasha figured he'd better do something before she decided to give up on him. He slipped his hands around her waist and dipped his head, allowing the kiss to be less awkward and more intimate. Her lips were soft and full. He held her closely but softly, she was like a doll, fragile and small. She smiled against his lips as he slid his tongue in her mouth. Neither quite knew what they were doing but they managed relying on instincts and what they had seen on movies. (A/N: Thank god for those movies!)

Kagome broke away, placing her forehead on his. They stood like that for what seemed like hours, the dimmed porch light making that steady humming noise and the wind through the branches barely overpowering it.

A/N: Yup…first kiss…yadda yadda yadda. I hope that wasn't too bad, I can't really write romance, even if this is a romance fic. But you know, like kissing and stuff. I get so embarrassed. I start blushing like crazy. Maybe one of you can teach me the art of romance writing.

Double thanks to all of my reviewers because I didn't thank you last time, and I felt so guilty. I 3 you all so much! Well, anyways not much else to say, but I'd really appreciate reviews, I probably sound needy but all the support really gets me going. And I end up putting out the chapters faster. You guys can add in anything to help, or advice or anything else. So…yea, please review. Thanks again to all of you magnificent reviewers.


	9. It Won't Last Long

Disclaimer: No…sobs

A/N: This came out later than I thought, I apologize. I've been pretty busy. I took the bus up to Seattle, to the art museum and Pike Place for some fresh fruit. :D I'm in love with that place. 3 This chapter is pretty much just a calm chapter, but it's a nice change. I hope you all enjoy it.

**Cigarettes and Lavender **

**Chapter 9-It Won't Last Long**

**Bi Polar**

Kagome Higurashi would have been on cloud nine as she walked home from the grocery store. That is, _would _have been. He had kissed her last night. But earlier that morning Inuyasha started acting odd, he stopped looking at her and when she had asked him if he would like to come with her to the grocery store he simply shook his head. He wouldn't eat breakfast but opted to leave and sweep the grounds instead.

Kagome shook her head as she walked down the crowded street. 'Did he regret it? Did I force him?' She felt like crying but held it back and picked up her speed down the street. Kagome's hair stuck to her face as rain bombarded the people of Tokyo. It was cold out, the kind of cold where you can see you're breath, early Spring was like that though. The rain just added to her mood.

* * *

The warmth of her living room made her feel a little better, but seeing Inuyasha sitting on the couch made that feeling go instantly away. He was watching a documentary on cows while he sipped a glass of juice. She gave him one last glance before she went into the kitchen. 

Inuyasha watched her walk away, he slumped into the couch and closed his eyes, willing all of the lies he told to disappear. He was afraid. He knew he couldn't stay here forever; his parents may not care about him but they cared if other people knew that they didn't. A 17 year old just vanishes and his parents don't say a thing. That'd be suspicious.

Kagome sat at the kitchen table with a bowl of chocolate ice cream sitting in front of her. Her thoughts kept wandering to the young silver haired boy sitting in her living room. He was so mysterious, she thought she had him figured out after last night but then he turns around and stops talking to her.

"Oh, hello Kagome dear." Mrs. Higurashi said as she walked down the stairs.

"Hi mom." Kagome stared down at her ice cream, mixing it up so it was a soupy mess.

"Is something the matter?"

Kagome hesitated. "No…nothing, just a headache." 'Best not to make mom worry.' She thought.

Mrs. Higurashi stared at the back of her daughter's head before shaking her own. "Okay dear, well, there's some Tylenol in the cupboard if you need it."

"Thanks mom."

"No problem, dear. If you need me I'll be outside." She kissed her daughter on the cheek and walked out the back door.

Kagome sat there afterwards. She didn't want to go into the living room and talk to Inuyasha but she knew she had to. So getting up and putting her untouched soupy ice cream in the sink she made her way to the other room.

Inuyasha sat on the couch, the cow documentary still on the television screen. His drink was empty, the ice melting making it nothing more than water. Kagome took in a deep breathe, curled her hands into fists, and walked bravely to where Inuyasha sat. He didn't look up when she sat down next to him. Her heart sunk and she stared down at her hands which were fiddling with the hem of her scarf.

"Inuyasha?" She was hesitant but was somewhat relieved when she heard Inuyasha grunt in response. "Inuyasha…is something wrong?" She decided it'd be safe to ask first.

Inuyasha turned to look at her but quickly looked back at the TV. "No…"

Kagome stared down at her hands pushing back tears that were dangerously close to leaking out. Inuyasha didn't dare look the girl who sat next to him. The cow documentary played quietly in the background while to two teenagers sat on either end of the couch. Neither one of them said a word for a long time.

"Do you hate me?" Kagome never looked up; her voice was trembling and hushed.

Inuyasha looked at the girl sitting next to him and his heart started to pound. "No…" Inuyasha wheezed out, he felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Then why have you been acting this way?" Her fiddling hands had turned into white knuckled fists.

Inuyasha remained silent, contemplating what to do. Kagome sniffed her face covered by her black hair.

"You regret it…don't you?" Kagome's voice wavered but she took a deep breathe and regained her strength. She finally looked up from her lap, her cheeks blotchy and her eyes red and teary. She looked Inuyasha straight in the eyes and he felt powerless to move his gaze. He looked like a lost child, his eyes were large and fearful, but he continued to stare at her.

His mouth had never felt drier. "Never…" He whispered. Kagome's eyes widened a fraction.

Before she could stop herself she gently asked, "Then why have you been acting weird?" Her heart pounded against her chest as she waited for his answer.

"I…I don't know... I'm not use to this…" He watched her closely. She felt slightly more relieved and it showed, as her form relaxed and her face grew less and less in years.

But when he finally started to calm down and feel at ease, her eye brows furrowed and she turned to look at him again, her eyes swollen from her crying earlier. She stood up and he looked at her towering, slightly intimidating figure. "Don't you ever do that again!" She pointed at him, her eye twitching.

Inuyasha sat on the couch staring up at her. Her face softened and she sat down and embraced him. He sat shocked at her actions but returned the hug. She smelt like lavender. It was intoxicating, almost like a drug. He felt his eyes close and his limbs relax. She kissed his cheek and he sighed deeply. When Kagome finally pulled away she gave him a light smile and his fears earlier disappeared.

* * *

Sango sat on the rickety motel bed with the TV on. Miroku was across the street buying them dinner from the fast food restaurant. They had been out most of the day putting up Missing Posters. She now sat picking at the moth eaten sheets, hopeless and dejected. Not one call, she had expected that someone would have seen Inuyasha. 

The door opened to reveal Miroku standing in the doorway with a bag full of grease and heart attacks, otherwise known as fast food. He leaned in the doorframe smiling at her charmingly. "Ready for our romantic date?" He lifted one of his eyebrows smirking at her.

Sango looked up at Miroku sighed, then turned back to picking at the orange-ish sheets. "Not in the mood Miroku."

Miroku's smile vanished and he came to sit next to the disheartened girl. "Don't worry Sango, we'll find him." Boldly he put his arm around her and pulled her close as she held back her tears. She was surprised but welcomed it graciously. They sat like that for awhile, with him just cradling her.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled. She wiped her eyes, pulling away from the violet eyed boy's embrace and gave him quick grin. "I'm ready to have that date now." He smiled widely and she gave a chuckle.

* * *

He was finally leaving. Inuyasha watched from the doorstep, grinning madly while Kagome hugged her Grandfather goodbye. Freedom, absolute freedom; he was in heaven. 

"We're going to miss you Grampa." Souta said as he hugged the elderly man.

"Oh, I'm going to miss all of you too."

"Tell Shoshio that we hope he gets well soon." Mrs. Higurashi said as she kissed him on the cheek.

"I will, I will." He stepped back to get a good look at his family before turning with sullen eyes to the 17 year old stranger standing on the back steps. "I owe you an apology." He said quietly. "So…I apologize and I hope that everything works out for you." Kagome's Grandfather held out his hand and Inuyasha smiled lightly as he shook it.

"Thank you; and I hope you have a safe journey." Inuyasha meant what he said. Even though this man had caused him so much trouble, he couldn't wish ill on someone he hardly knew. It didn't stop him from being happy though.

The 3 Higurashi's and Inuyasha waved as the taxi pulled away from the curb. Inuyasha let out a deep sigh and for the first time in days he felt completely at peace.

"I'm sure you feel relieved." Kagome whispered to him as they walk back up the many shrine steps. Inuyasha let out a soft chuckle before nodding.

Dinner that night was quieter and less tense, he savored it. Kagome and Mrs. Higurashi offered him sympathetic smiles which he took nervously; he preferred staring at his food. He was now sitting in his tree chewing his nicotine gum and watching Kagome and her mother wash the dishes through the kitchen window.

This wouldn't last long, he knew it that. It wouldn't surprise him if he was dragged out by police and taken home to be beaten to death by his father any day now. Running away, dad wouldn't look upon that lightly. He smiled despite the situation, he still had hope.

Kagome waved at him from the window and he gave her a small wave back. She was something else; he'd miss her when all of this was over. It was hard to think about, but it would inevitably occur. He might as well enjoy it while he was here.

A/N: Well, this was a pretty boring chapter. I guess it's suppose to be like the calm before the storm sort of thing.

Thank you to the reviewers, you're really sweet. 3

**HayLin4**: I promise that during the school year I'll update faster because I'm always writing to skip out on doing homework.

**RisuBento**: Thanks for being so kind, I felt a lot better about the whole romantic writing, embarrassing thing. I was actually going do just what you said and put it just as a regular kiss, but after some advice from a friend I just decided to go for it. Thank you though.

**Ttinuhpfanforever**: Lies, lies, lies…almost sounds like a soap opera. Hehe.

**Luv,angel-muzik,baby**: YAY! I do hope a lot of reviews from you. It's okay I won't hate you for not reviewing.

**Shadow Of A Lost Soul**: hehe thank you for the support. I'm glad you liked it.

**Amber**: Wow, I feel wonderful that it as one of the best. Thanks.

**Inahosetai**: Well, I sent you an email but still thanks. All of your support is really lovely. Talk to you later.

**DarkWolves Faith**: Thanks for the romance support. Oh, lying will get into trouble but not as much as some other things. hint hint Hope you enjoyed.

**Heavens lil cherry**: Actually I'm working on some stories at the moment, I'm just hope to finish a couple chapters before I post them. Thank you. :D

Please review. :D


	10. Fire Escape

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Under the Wolf, Under the Dog; by Adam Rapp.

A/N: So I was up until 5 in the morning writing this. So I hope you like it because it took me awhile. I wasn't completely sure on this chapter, I had actually planned on writing this for awhile but as I thought about it more and more I wasn't sure if I was going to like how it turned out, but I decided to just go for it. The following scene I got from one of my favorite books Under the Wolf, Under the Dog, where I originally got the idea for adding in…well just read it. Sorry it took me so long. Enjoy!

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 10-Fire Escape**

**Bi Polar**

_They sat on the fire escape of Kikyou's apartment like they had done so many times before, their feet dangling. They could hear Kikyou and Kaede talking in the living room; but they didn't care what it was about. _

_Inuyasha turned to look at his brother _(A/N: Yes, brother gasp) _but didn't say anything. Instead he just closed his eyes and savored the red strawberry Popsicle he was sucking on. It was cloudy the day they sat there, waiting for Kaede to finish talking to her niece. It started to rain and the people walking below them all pulled out their identical black umbrellas. _

_"Look at that Yash." Sesshomaru pulled his blueberry Popsicle out of his mouth and looked at the people walking on the streets below. "They…they look like black roses…blooming black roses..." _

_Inuyasha didn't understand what his older brother said but nodded his head anyways. Sesshomaru was an unbelievably handsome boy, even at 9 years old he held a proud poise that would get any girl's attention; despite anything that happened to him behind closed doors. _

_The silver headed boys were drenched; Sesshomaru seemed to drop his earlier thought as he turned to look at his younger look alike. He gave a rather troubled smile, his lips blue from his Popsicle…blue, like when he died. His lips were blue…_

Inuyasha woke up with a start, clutching his head. All he could hear was a constant buzzing noise and himself gasping for air. It was the second time he had had a nightmare here, which was a nice change considering back home he had nightmares every night. But it was the first time in 4 years that he had thought about his brother. 4 years of shoving the memory of his brother and their nanny in the back of his mind.

He got up and put on a pair of pants over his boxer shorts, they were still short and tight, but it didn't bother him. He pulled a plain blue baseball Tee over his head and left Souta's dark room.

He paced back and forth in the kitchen, the clock on the microwave read 4:26 am. He felt like crying but no tears would come out, he was shaking; shaking so hard it was almost like he didn't have any control over his nerves.

The worst thing for a human being is to experience something and then have it snatched away. Sesshomaru died when he was only 13, Inuyasha had been on his own for 4 years. Dad wouldn't allow his brother's name to be mentioned in his house, it was almost like he was never there. So that's how Inuyasha took it when he died, he just played pretend, like he did with so many other things, he never had a brother.

Life went on how it was before Sess died, dad continued to beat Inuyasha, harder and more often, since Sesshomaru wasn't there to take half of it. Mom could care less what happened; sometimes Inuyasha doubted whether or not she knew that she even had children. The only remnants that Sesshomaru was ever real, was his room, it hadn't been touched after Inuyasha found him dead there. Inuyasha hadn't gone in since then; the room had become the untouched hall closest.

It was 7 in the morning when Mrs. Higurashi found Inuyasha sitting at the kitchen table, sleeping. Her eye brows furrowed worriedly and sat down next to the boy, touching his head lightly. Inuyasha woke with a start and stared up the older women, his eyes were tired and empty.

She felt her heart drop and he took the boy in her arms and cradled him like a mother would. He clung to her and felt his eye sting with tears. She smelt sort of like Kagome, but didn't at the same time. His mother had never smelt like that, she had always smelt of alcohol and cigarettes. She constantly wore that expensive perfume which she thought covered up the alcohol smell but in reality only made it worse.

"Shhh, shhh, Inuyasha dear what's the matter." Mrs. Higurashi whispered.

He didn't say anything; he just shook his head his whole body shuddering dreadfully. Mrs. Higurashi stroked his silver head and held him tightly. When he finally calmed down he pulled away and quietly thanked her.

"What happened dear?" She asked as she watched him, he didn't look up from his feet.

"Just…just a nightmare."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No…I can't really remember it." More lies, more lies to dig his already deep grave.

Mrs. Higurashi gave him a understanding smile and nodded as she walked to the refrigerator. "You hungry, Inuyasha dear?"

"No…" The thought of eating sounded disgusting right now.

"Okay dear…" She started making breakfast but glanced over her shoulder and frowned as Inuyasha got up from the kitchen table and went back up the stairs.

Inuyasha looked at himself in the mirror; his eyes held no shine and his face had aged considerably since yesterday. He felt cold and hollow as he stared himself down in the bathroom. He hated to admit his resemblance to his brother and looking at his reflection in the mirror made him sick, he held back a gag. Inuyasha turned on the sink and splashed the cold water over his face.

He sat down on the edge of the bath tub and stared at the closed door ahead of him. He was in shock; it was as simple as that. Sesshomaru had never existed until 3 hours ago, at least in his mind. The dream was, to say the least, on of the best memories he had of his older brother; and with that thought he smiled a small sorrowful smile. Buried in the back of his mind he knew that all that he had been hiding from himself would come out sooner or later but he pushed that thought back too. He had to let go, maybe this was the beginning to healing…or whatever.

It was an hour later when he came downstairs, tired and in a sort of bitter sweet mood. Kagome was sitting on the couch in her pajamas flipping through the television channels when she looked up at Inuyasha who walked down the stairs with a brooding look on his face.

"I was beginning to think you had drowned in the toilet." She smiled at him but it fell from her face when she saw him. "What's wrong, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha looked at her as if he had suddenly realized she was in the room. He gave her a weak smile. "No, nothing is wrong." She stared at him for what seemed like a long time, they both knew that she didn't believe him.

* * *

Inuyasha swept the grounds slowly and thoughtfully. It was cold outside and his hands grew numb. His mind was spinning though. It was taking him twice as long to sweep the shrine grounds than usual; he would stop every now and again contemplating.

There wasn't much to reflect over though. For the first 5 years of his life he lived relatively normally then it changed and before he knew it, _they_ were taken from him. And he was left to face his fears alone. Sesshomaru wasn't there to protect him, having him snatched away…well he'd much rather just pretend he was never there at all. Finally coming to terms with it all…

Today was the day he was going to start over…

His hopes of a better future came shattering down the minute he walked through the door. There on the television was his picture, a pretty grueling photo of him with his hands in his tattered jean pockets and wearing the most disgusting scowl on his face. Inuyasha stopped in his tracks watching the television with disgusting intensity.

"17 year old Inuyasha Takashi has been missing for about 2 weeks and is known to have self destructive habits. His worried parents ask if anyone has spotted the young boy to contact them at this number." The picture of the pretty anchor women disappeared to be replaced with contact information. "Inuyasha was last seen at the bus stop on the outskirts of Kofu. He has atypical silver hair and amber colored eyes. He's about 5'11" with a thin build."

Inuyasha was horror-struck as the contact information was replaced by the images of his mother and father. His mother spoke into the microphone her face red and blotchy from crying. "We just want our son back so we can give him the kind of help he needs. I don't want him to hurt himself anymore. Please, if you've seen him help us bring him back home."

The camera moved to the anchor woman in her red business suit with her matching painted lips. "Inuyasha is known to rely on alcohol and cigarettes, as well as other negative substances. The Takashi family asks you to help find this lost teenager. Once again, the number to call if you've seen him." The contact information came on again and Inuyasha felt his knees go weak. The broom he was holding fell from his hands and the Higurashi family looked back at him with questioning glares.

His breath left him and his heart picked up. It wasn't supposed to be like this, he had determined that 5 minutes ago. It was a warning; his parents were sending a warning for him. Letting him know that they were still out there and weren't going to let him live in peace. He knew this would happen but his mind still willed it all to be a dream…just like Sesshomaru.

The door flew open and Inuyasha flew out of it. The cold air whipped his face burning his eyes. He didn't' know where he was going or what he was doing and it ironically reminded him of the night he ran away from home. He stumbled as he ran down the shrine steps.

He found himself running to an abandon playground, the children had all gone home to eat dinner with their families. Family…what a foreign concept. The swings were rusted and squeaky, so he opted to hide in the tube slide. What a mocking situation.

He curled up with his light jacket pulled tightly around him and for the first time in a long time, he trembled with tears, and the thoughts of everything he had just lost tumbling through his exhausted mind.

A/N: So…what do you think? Do I write better at 5 in the morning…opinions on past…present…future…or maybe just a comment about what's going on in your life right now. All are welcomed. REVIEW! And you will have buckets sunshine and love. Thanks to all my reviewers, all your support helps. I'm going to bed, NIGHT!


	11. Almost Like a Dream

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…or half of everything in my room, most of it belongs to my parents…or my sister…or various friends.

A/N: So here it is. Chapter 11…yay! I worked hard, didn't stay up till 5 though. Enjoy!

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 11-Almost Like a Dream**

**Bi Polar**

Kagome's heart literally broke in two when Inuyasha ran out the front door. She wanted to believe the story that he told to her family a couple of days ago, not the one on the television just moments ago. Without her permission tears fell from her eyes and slowly moved down her pale cheek, leaving a salty trail behind. Mrs. Higurashi sat next to her daughter, dumbstruck; while Souta impatiently pulled on his mother's sleeve begging her to know if his adoptive brother was in trouble.

Kagome stared at her lap, tears freely flowing, while her mother ushered her brother upstairs whispering comforting words. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that such things were too good to be true.

Mrs. Higurashi came back downstairs with a solemn expression on her face. She walked into the kitchen and returned with Inuyasha's leather backpack. It was so tattered and dirty that it looked like it could fall apart right before their eyes.

"What are you doing?" Kagome asked, her voice wavering and getting hazardously close to leaving her entirely.

"We might as well check and see if it's really him."

Kagome gave her mother a stern glare. "Now mom, not many people have silver hair and golden eyes."

"I know…it's just so hard to believe. And, somewhere deep inside my heart I just…don't want to believe any of it." Kagome's thoughts were spoken out loud and she nodded in understanding and also in consent to allow her to empty the backpack. She was, of course, naturally curious.

Mrs. Higurashi turned the leather bag upside down allowing all the contents to spill out on the living room floor. The two women knelt down and looked at the mess they had just made. The torn clothes that Kagome had found him in lied on the bottom, all covered in blood. Then on top of that laid an array of other things, a notebook bound in leather similar to the backpack it had been carried in, a Swiss army knife, cigarettes and in an ironic twist nicotine gum and patches. Not much, but enough for them to cry over. Neither quite knew why they were weeping, perhaps it was because the cigarettes that were sitting before them confirmed their dread that Inuyasha was indeed a teenage runaway.

One could not tell how much time they spent sitting in the living room crying over what looked like a pile of crap, but it must have of been some time; for when Kagome finally wiped her eyes and stood up it was growing dark. Mrs. Higurashi got up from the floor as well and went in the kitchen to return with two hot cups of tea. She handed one to Kagome and both women sat down on the couch.

"I've got to go look for him." Kagome said quietly. Mrs. Higurashi gave her a look but didn't say anything. "I don't know if I can explain why…it's just, a feeling I guess. Something doesn't _feel_ right."

Mrs. Higurashi gave her a knowing smile and an accepting nod as Kagome got up off the couch, slipped on a jacket and left the house.

* * *

The room was silent, nauseatingly silent. Sango pulled the blanket that hung around her shoulders closer to her. Miroku sat on the edge of his bed staring at the television set, which was now turned off. It had been an hour since either one of them talked. 

Both stunned to see their friend's face pasted on the currently blank television screen. They shouldn't have been surprised but they were and in this state of shock they decided to sit quietly.

Miroku looked up as Sango came to sit next to him. She pulled the blanket that was around her shoulders off and wrapped it around both of them. "You looked cold." She said quietly.

"Thanks." He muttered.

"It's almost like a dream, huh?" She whispered. He could feel her breath on his face and had to calm himself before answering.

"Almost." She nuzzled into him and he welcomed it.

"Should we go out and look tonight?"

"No…we need some rest, tomorrow we're leaving."

She pulled away from him, alarmed. "What do you mean?"

"We've been away for 4 and a half days. School is going to start you know." He stated matter of factly.

"And what do you think is more important Miroku? Our school or our friend?" Her face red with irritation.

"Well, uhh, our friend of course."

"Then we're staying here!" She stated before burrowing into him once again.

He didn't dare fight back instead he just gave a quiet laugh and held her against him tightly. She smelt lovely. "Sango…" She didn't answer instead she snuggled up closer to him. He grinned mischievously.

"Don't you dare Miroku. If I'm going to sleep in your bed then you better not try anything." She said softly, her eyes still closed.

"Why my dear Sango, whoever said you were sleeping in my bed?" Miroku looked down at Sango, a small smile on his face.

"I did…just now." She stiffened then relaxed before quietly adding. "It's too cold over in my bed, and its so warm right here."

He gave a small laugh before nodding and getting up.

"Where are you going?" She said slightly panicked.

"Well, I don't know about you but I don't find sleeping sitting up very comfortable."

Miroku walked over to the side of the bed and pulled down the covers for Sango and himself to climb under. Both were in their pajamas having changed into them as soon as they got home from searching for Inuyasha.

They sat there for awhile, Sango dozing off then reminding herself to wake up and Miroku staring blankly at the ceiling. She nuzzled into him again and he held her against his chest. Sighing deeply and gently thanking him Sango fell off into a deep sleep. "No need to thank me Sango…no need at all." He looked at her sleeping face and gave her a modest kiss on the cheek.

* * *

Kagome walked down the street apprehensively, taking notice of everything around her. She wasn't sure of anything anymore, except the fact that she needed to find Inuyasha. The looming buildings and eerie glow of the street lamps only caused her paranoia to increase. 

An hour later, Kagome stood in front of the old park. Hardly anyone played there anymore; it was rusted and moldy; scaring most children away. She found herself staring and was taken aback to see two black sneakers sticking out of the end of the enclosed slide, two black sneakers in which she recognized.

The anchor women's words ran through her head "…known to have self destructive habits. Inuyasha is known to rely on alcohol and cigarettes, as well as other negative substances." She felt a wave of sickness flow over her, but held it down as she marched towards the black converse shoes.

She stopped a foot away from where Inuyasha lay curled up into a ball. She could hear him, but just barely. He was rocking back and forth and mumbling something incoherent. "Inuyasha…" She spoke cautiously.

He looked up at her surprised, his eyes bloodshot and alarmed. He wiped his nose with his sleeve before returning to his former position.

"Inuyasha..." This time she spoke louder and more persistently. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" He mumbled; his face still buried in his arm.

"Don't play dumb. Why did you run away from home?" She crossed her arms and watched the boy rock back in forth. She felt something within in her stir for the boy's situation but it went away quickly as she remembered her deadly anger towards him.

"Just leave me alone." He whispered.

"Just leave me alone?" She repeated his words slowly like she speaking to a disobedient child. "I saved your fucking life and all you can say to be is 'leave me alone'?"

She could tell he was embarrassed because he buried his head deeper into his arm. "Why did you run away from home?" She persisted.

"I…I can't, tell you…" He shook his head getting his jacket wet with tears.

Why? Because I can't handle it?" She said mockingly her arms still crossed over her chest.

"No…" He said softly, then added. "I don't want to get you involved."

"Get me involved?" She nearly shouted. "Getting me involved!" This time she really did shout. "The moment I found you I was involved. Damn it, Inuyasha, don't you understand! My family is involved, whether you like or not!"

"I…" But Inuyasha didn't get a chance to finish his sentence.

"You lied…" Her voice wasn't as fierce as it was a minute ago, in fact she sounded almost like a lost child. "You lied to my Grandpa, my mom, my brother….you lied to me Inuyasha." Her eyes watered but she refused to let tears fall.

Inuyasha looked up from his fetal position, he looked scared. "It's…I'm…" He didn't say much anything else; instead he just stared at her.

"Why did you run away? Why did you lie?" She became fierce again, her eyes flaring.

"I told you just go let it go!" He yelled back with just as much power.

"'Let it go!' For God's sake! You fucking lied to me! I trusted you! Now tell me why the fuck did you ran away from home and then lied to me about it!" Kagome came closer to the tube slide Inuyasha laid in. He didn't move, instead just pulled his knees closer to his face. "Why did you lie Inuyasha?" She came closer and closer. "Why did you run away?" She was almost touching his feet now.

His head was spinning, more tears sprang as he closed his eyes and buried his head underneath his arm. Kagome's voice prodded his mind, it was almost like a broken record player. She kept yelling and questioning and he couldn't take all of it. "Why did you do it Inuyasha!" She roared.

"Because they beat me!" Inuyasha sat up and glared at Kagome with the most intense gaze. "Is that what you wanted to hear? Are you happy now!" He stared at her for some time before lying back down and curling up into a ball again.

Kagome couldn't breathe and she was sure that she was going to pass out. She stared at the sobbing boy lying in the red tunnel slide. Her heart picked up, trying to register what Inuyasha had just bellowed. 'Beat…they beat him?' Inuyasha continued to shake with sobs; she had never seen him so fragile even when he was beaten to a pulp in the alley. The tears which were burning to get out finally fell, and fast. A strange cold had taken over her body and she felt herself shiver.

Kagome sat on the edge of the slide; he didn't take notice. She touched his shoulder and her heart dropped when she saw him flinch, she withdrew her hand and wiped her eyes clean of tears.

"Why don't we got back home and have some tea? You…you can explain everything there." He looked up at her with a panicky gaze. She understood right away. "We won't call the police, I promise." He relaxed and sat up, nodding silently. He wiped his face and got up, wobbling a bit, only to be surprised by Kagome holding him around the waist, letting him lean on her.

A/N: This came out rather fast, I'm proud of myself. 32482084203 gold stars to me. :D So anyways! Cheers to my reviewers! (I reply every so often. So since it's only 2 in the morning I'll send you reviewers a nice little note.)

**HayLin4:** Me too…especially when they're on the news and then like 3 weeks later they're on the news again, arrested for child abuse. hint, hint Anyways! Thanks for reviewing.

**DemonSaya:** Thank you. I did that purposely, tee hee. I'm so deep. I read some of your stories; they're really lovely and charming. 3

**Amber:** I'm glad you like it so much. :)

**Nanirain:** Well…I thought I should add some angst after that kind of slow chapter before it. I'm so glad you adore it; it makes me feel really loved.

**Inashosetai:** I took your advice and went for it and I'm glad I did so. So I guess in a way I owe this chapter to you. So cheers to you!

**SeeC:** I get hyper…all the time. Thanks for the review.

**AnimeAngelz:** I'm very flattered that you feel that way about my fic. Thank you.

**Peoplekityo:** Lucky you, I decided to get an early start on this chapter and finished it faster than I thought, hehe.

**Whitewolf33:** It's a surprise…not really…but just you wait.

**GIRL IN STORY:** haha. I'm more of a tea person myself, but sometimes coffee is necessary to survive.

**Heavens lil cherry:** Thanks, I try to work hard at my writing, I can only become better, right? I'm currently working on 3 other stories (not including this one) at the moment, so after Cigs. And Lav. I'll be able to put out many more fics.

**Kasandra**: Thanks I really appreciate the compliment. :D

**Luv,angel-muzik,baby**: I wanted to make his parent's complete assholes but at the same time a little terrifying. Do you think I got it (even if it's only to a certain extent)? Thank you for the review!


	12. Saving You

Disclaimer: I don't Inuyasha…today…tee hee

A/N: So I finally got out of the house. Haha, that usually never happens! I went to a party and saw all my friends that I haven't seen forever, I missed them. Afterwards my good friend Nick took me out to the mall for school shopping. And since we're so cheap, we bought McDonalds. And no offense to anyone who likes Micky D's, but I just don't. I haven't eaten there for like 6 trillion months, but I'm cheap so I decided to go for it. And I swear, I had a heart attack while I was eating my burger. I was like "Nick? Does your chest hurt?" And he says "What the hell are you talking about?" It was really, really weird. It was like all the sudden my heart was being squeezed. But I'm fine! Haha. Anyways! Enjoy this long chapter.

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 12-Saving You **

**Bi Polar**

Inuyasha sat in the kitchen with a glaring Mrs. Higurashi sitting across from him. He glanced at the door nervously. God he needed a smoke. Kagome had left the room for a short time to change into something warmer and cleaner. Inuyasha refused to do the same; he was too humiliated to take any more of their generosity.

"I guess I have a lot of explaining to do…" Maybe he was attempting to make the mood a little lighter, or maybe the silence was driving him insane. Whatever had caused the words to spew from his mouth made the room a lot more uptight than it was before hand.

Mrs. Higurashi shot him a disgusted look before answering. "I guess so…"

It hurt to see her look at him like that. That's the only kind of look he had gotten from his own mother. "I…I didn't mean for things to turn out like they did. I never meant to cause trouble…" He whispered. His eyes burnt with unshed tears.

"Well you did. I can't believe you…" She shot him another revolted look and he vaguely thought of his mother when she was sober. "You took advantage of this family." Her eyes flared, reminding him so much of her daughter.

"I didn't…" Inuyasha stopped in mid sentence as Kagome walked into the kitchen. Mrs. Higurashi looked up also her eyes softening with her daughter in view.

"Mom…" Kagome frowned at her mother. "Let's give Inuyasha some time to explain."

"I don't see why that's necessary Kagome dear, we already know that Inuyasha has lied to us."

Inuyasha stayed silent, he didn't even look up from the kitchen table. He wouldn't cry, and even if he wanted to he didn't think that he could; it seemed the well had dried up.

"Things aren't what they seem, mom."

"Then what are they?"

"His parents…they…aren't who they say they are."

"Kagome sweetheart, you're a good person but things are getting too ridiculous. We saw his parents on the television…I don't see how they can't be who they saw are when we saw them!" Her mother gave her a stern gaze.

"Well they aren't mom! You have to trust me!" Kagome's body shook with frustration.

"Like I trusted Inuyasha!" They stared at each other for some time before Inuyasha broke the apprehensive silence.

"They hurt me Mrs. Higurashi…" Inuyasha looked intently at his dirty palms.

Kagome and her mother whipped their heads to see the boy who had remained silent until now. "What?" Mrs. Higurashi asked startled by the silver headed boy's quiet hesitant voice.

"They hurt me." Tears wouldn't fall the second time he admitted it out loud. Maybe he was finally learning to accept it.

"I…What do you…" Mrs. Higurashi wasn't able to get out anything she was trying to say. Her voice was failing her, but her mind was whirling.

"They hit me…" Inuyasha still refused to look up.

Kagome stepped in, sitting down next to her mother. "Why don't you explain everything." Inuyasha did look up this time giving a long glance to Kagome, she was beautiful, her cerulean eyes full of concern and anxiousness.

"From the beginning?"

"If you feel like you need to." Kagome spoke softly giving Inuyasha an understanding look. Mrs. Higurashi still hadn't spoken.

"Maybe…maybe I should." Inuyasha realized that he was still gazing at Kagome and her lovely heart shaped face. Her cheeks flushed pink with the warmth of her newly changed clothes and her deep sapphire eyes that said so much about what she was thinking.

"I'm sorry." Mrs. Higurashi looked up and fixed her eyes upon the solemn boy. "I don't…I don't know what was wrong with me. I should have had more faith in you." She was something else that was for sure.

"No…I understand." Inuyasha felt his heart swell with gratification.

"Maybe you should explain. From the beginning." She said, still mortified for her behavior.

"Okay…" It was quiet, Inuyasha gathering all his thoughts and memories so he could explain everything. "My parents…married young." He didn't know all about his parent's relationship but Sesshomaru had told him all that he knew…that was, before he died.

"Mom was probably only 14 or 15…dad only a year or so older. My mother's family was wealthy while my father's family was the exact opposite. Mom…to be blunt, gave dad a better social image, as well as a steady cash flow, so he could buy more booze and cigs. Mom, of course, was all for the idea of dating the school's bad boy. She loved him…I'm still questioning why. He got her into some pretty bad habits. Drinking, smoking, drugs, you know…that kind of stuff."

"Dad slept around, mom…she wouldn't lose her virginity unless it was with him." At this point he stopped, glaring daggers into the kitchen table.

"One night, mom went out to party with a friend. She ended up getting drunk and sleeping with some guy. She got pregnant…" Inuyasha held back the tears that he thought had left him, biting his bottom lip.

"Well…dad found out and wasn't happy. No one had ever 'cheated' on him, though he had done it to every girl that he had ever gotten together with. Mom was humiliated and determined to prove her loyalty. Sometimes I wonder about my own mother's sanity…back then and now. I think it's obvious to say that my mom's mom or my grandmother found out about her pregnancy and obviously blamed it on her boyfriend…my father. Both sets of parents agreed it was for the best if they got married…so, they did. Mother inherited her grandmother's house and they moved in at once."

"Dad hated mom. For her betrayal and for their marriage…but mom…she loved him more than life. She was so determined to prove her devotion that she took a fair amount of drugs hoping that it would cause a miscarriage. It didn't. And 8 months later…my brother was born." Inuyasha stopped and squeezed his hands into fists biting his lip harder.

"Wait…brother?" Kagome asked.

"Yes…" Inuyasha went on pretending that Kagome had never spoken. "The drugs that my mother had taken had had a weird affect on her blood…it gave my bother some strange attributes. Silver hair, golden eyes, markings on his face…though those disappeared with age."

"Dad hated the sight of Sesshomaru…my brother. It was like a walking version of his failure. After all, he no longer had his bachelorhood…or his lifelines. He had to make a living not only for himself but his wife and wife's son." Inuyasha felt a wave queasiness flow over him which he pushed down half heartedly.

Kagome and Mrs. Higurashi stayed silent, staring at the boy which refused to look at them. Both felt sick, like they were eavesdropping on some private conversation.

"Mom hired the elderly lady next door to take care of Sess and also to quell my father, Sei's anger. Sesshomaru hardly ever saw his own home. He spent most of his time at Kaede's."

"Four years later mom was pregnant again…with me. It was an accident, but this time with her husband. The drugs which had affected Sesshomaru also affected me." At this Inuyasha pointed to his silver hair which hung just around his chin. Then at his golden eyes which were hidden beneath his bangs. "Sesshomaru and I practically lived at Kaede's. I don't think I ever saw the inside of my own room until I was 4."

"I remember…Kaede use to take us to Tokyo…to visit her niece, Kikyou." Inuyasha smiled at the fond memories. "Sesshomaru had a crush on Kikyou…even though she was like 24 and he was 9. I think it was because; they shared some kind of mutual sorrow. Kikyou was married to a businessman named Naraku. It was common knowledge that he would stay out late with the prostitutes that hung out down the street from their apartment. I think that's why we visited her so often. We use to sit outside on her fire escape while she and Kaede talked, eating popsicles until Naraku came home. I only saw him once or twice…but the few times I did see him…I knew that something was wrong." Inuyasha kept his head down; his voice had stopped wavering which surprised even himself.

"I was 5, Sesshomaru was 9. Kaede's house was being fumigated or something…Sess was out with friends. We were staying at my own house for a short time. Kaede was teaching me to write." Memories came flooding back and his eyes started to water.

_Kaede chuckled as Inuyasha once again spelt his brother's name completely wrong. "Inuyasha you need to pay attention, look," She took up the pencil that Inuyasha was holding and once again showed him the correct way to spell Sesshomaru. "this is your brother's name." Inuyasha took up the pencil, his tongue sticking out of his mouth in deep concentration._

_Inuyasha clapped his small hands together when he finished and started to jump and down with the paper. "I spelt it!" _

"_Why! Yes you did." Kaede hugged the small boy and smiled. "Sesshomaru will be very proud of you." _

"_I want to spell 'red'!" Inuyasha gave the elderly woman a toothy smile. She smiled back the one eye she didn't have covered crinkled. Inuyasha laughed and reached up to lightly touch the patch that covered her left eye, remembering the times before when she had told him and Sesshomaru elaborate tales of losing her eye on the sea with her pirate crew. _

"_Okay." She knelt down and slowly explained how to spell the boy's favorite color. Inuyasha sat there with the same thoughtful expression. _

"_Oh Inuyasha, you really need to stop writing your "R's" backwards." Her withered voice was kind and light. He tried again._

_Heavy footsteps were heard throughout the house. Heavy drunk footsteps. He hated that sound. She got up, her tired body hunched in old age. Inuyasha father stood in the doorway angry and intoxicated._

_Inuyasha could hear Kaede and his father exchange words, Kaede's voice soft and patient and Sei's angry and thunderous. Inuyasha walked to the door, his small body shaking with fear. _

_In one swift movement, Sei threw the elderly woman down the stairs, her frail body making a resounding smack against the wall at the bottom of the stairwell. She slid down the wall leaving a blood red trail behind her. Inuyasha stared at the scene, tears leaking out of his large golden eyes. _

_His father turned towards him, his eyes little more than slits with his anger. "Don't you dare say anything you little shit." Inuyasha nodded wordlessly and slowly moved into his brother's room waiting until he came back home. _

_Inuyasha sat on his brother's unused bed for hours until in the dark of the night Sesshomaru crept up the stairs and into his bedroom. The boy was somehow extraordinarily wise beyond his years. He knew that something was not right, but he willed the thoughts away and stepped into his room. _

_Sesshomaru stared as his younger brother whom was sitting on his large bed, red in the eyes and clutching a single piece of paper. "Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru spoke with care and waited for his brother to realize he was in the room. _

_The small boy looked up trembling. He didn't say anything, his voice had left him hours ago. _

"_She's…she's gone, isn't she?" Sesshomaru knew that something was wrong, it was some kind of mental fear transfused into a nauseating feeling in the pit of his stomach. _

_Inuyasha nodded and began to cry again as Sesshomaru made his way to the bed. He held Inuyasha close to him, rocking him back and forth in an attempt to calm him. The two silver headed brothers sat sobbing in the dark cold room. Things were going to awfully different from now on._

The room was hushed, Kagome and her mother staring at Inuyasha. Then quietly and almost frighteningly Mrs. Higurashi started to speak. "You mean…he…he killed her?"

Inuyasha looked up, his eyes watering. "Not intentionally…but yes."

Inuyasha felt that he didn't have enough strength to say anything else. This was the most he had ever said out loud about his past and it scared him.

The two women didn't force him to speak, but he didn't want to let them down so he continued. "Dad told the police that she fell down the stairs. With her age and eyesight it wasn't hard to believe. No one questioned him…I told the police that it was true." Inuyasha shook his head and let slow huge fall down his face.

"And I hate myself for it." The two women weren't given a chance to object him saying this because he made sure to fill the gap of silence quickly. "Sesshomaru and I were left with our parents. Mom and dad couldn't afford to hire another nanny…dad went through jobs like toilet paper and mom's family refused to keep supporting them."

"Sesshomaru and I spent less and less time at home. Mom was hardly ever sober. Dad hated the sight of us, so he took every chance he got to beat the living daylights out of us."

"Beat you?" Mrs. Higurashi asked softly.

Inuyasha nodded. "It would get brutal sometimes. Sesshomaru use to get it so bad at times he wouldn't wake up for hours and sometimes not until the next day. I got it pretty bad too…but Sess always tried to keep me hidden. We spent most of our time at the park or really anywhere that kept us away from home. We'd spend days away from home." Inuyasha smiled at the memories of those hot summer days in the park with Sesshomaru. How they'd lie in the grass and watch the clouds until the sun went down and then they'd lie there and watch the stars.

"Naturally we'd have to come home every once in awhile. Dad would bring home prostitutes regularly, mom was never quite _there_ to…'please' him. I think it's safe to say that due to our upbringing we were lead into some bad habits. We pick pocketed to eat and when we didn't have enough money we'd shoplift. Sesshomaru started smoking and drinking by 11. He tampered with overdosing and I'd always be there to hold back his hair when he had to throw up. By 9 I was drinking…my mother taught me." Kagome put a hand to her mouth and Mrs. Higurashi grasped her daughters arm in surprise.

_A young Inuyasha watched his mother take another swig of vodka, finishing off the bottle. "Another one!" She yelled at the refrigerator, apparently it was playing bartender. _

"_Oh for Christ sake, I'll get it myself!" She stumbled out of her chair and to the liquor cabinet. "Where the hell is it?" She staggered back to the kitchen and fell into the chair with another bottle of alcohol in her hand. _

_Inuyasha stepped slowly into the room. Sesshomaru was away again, he was leaving Inuyasha alone more and more often, and Inuyasha was petrified._

"_Oh! Hey! Are you new here?" Izayoi asked her small wide eyed son. _

"_Ummm..." Inuyasha stared at his feet. It was just his mother and him at home today. Dad was out at a job surprisingly, it wouldn't last long though considering he went to work drunk today. _

"_You're kinda short…" She said laughing lightly. "You wouldn't happen to be one of those midgets from the circus that's in town. How old are you?" Circus? Inuyasha didn't even know that the circus was in the town. Maybe Sesshomaru would take him sometime._

"_9…" He said quietly._

"_29, you say? You look kind of familiar…you'd think I'd remember your face since you're so short." She slurred._

"_No, I'm 9." Inuyasha said louder. _

"_I know I heard you! You're 29, Jesus Christ son, I'm not deaf." Son. That was the word that triggered it. It was the first time his mother had ever called him that, even if she didn't mean it literally. "Here sit down; I'll buy you a drink." _

"_Ummm…okay." Inuyasha sat next to his mother moving the empty bottles off his chair. Perhaps the reason he had agreed was that he hoped that he might become closer to his mother. _

"_What would you like? Vodka, Cognac, sake, wine, beer, you name it they've got it." She counted off all of the liquors with only an expert's way of speaking, despite her intoxicated mind she managed to remember all that was important to her. _

"_I don't know…" He knew it was wrong…he knew it; but he went along with it anyway. _

"_Oh I see! You've never drank before." She laughed idly. "Well, son, we'll fix that right up for you." She took out several different colored bottles and set them down on the table before sitting back down next to her son. She turned to him, her eyes half open and her breath reeking of alcohol. "First, you need to know the differences and that kind of shit." Inuyasha sat there for 3 hours with his mother, drinking. _

_Sesshomaru came home 2 hours later, to find his 9 year old brother passed out on the kitchen floor, his mother still drinking away. "Oh hello! The names Shawn, right?" She asked holding up a bottle as a sign of welcome. Sesshomaru stared at the scene before him. "You're a regular here and I still have trouble remembering your name…Shawn…right?" _

_Sesshomaru ignored her question. "What happened?" He rushed to Inuyasha's side, holding his head up. _

"_Don't worry about him! He just can't hold his liquor." She laughed again then took another swig of her drink smiling lightly. _

"_Are you crazy! Jesus! He's 9 years old, you whore!" Sesshomaru's face became red with anger. He picked up a vodka bottle and glared at his mother before throwing it across the room where it smashed against the wall leaving thousands of small pieces all over the floor. "Damn it! Just! Just! Just, stay away from him!" Sesshomaru picked up the small frail body of his brother and carried him upstairs. _

_Inuyasha spent most of the night sleeping peacefully, only waking occasionally to sit in front of the toilet and empty his stomach. Sesshomaru stayed with him the whole night, holding back his hair when he needed to vomit. Like Inuyasha had done so many times for him. _

_The next morning Inuyasha woke up experiencing all the joys of a massive hangover. Sesshomaru skipped school and tended to him. _

_Inuyasha's vision was fuzzy but he could make out his brother, sitting on the edge of his bed. "Sess?" His voice was raspy and soft. _

"_What?" Sesshomaru wrung out the dish towel he took from the kitchen and put it on his brother's forehead._

"_I'm sorry…" Inuyasha looked away, humiliated for his actions. _

"_I wouldn't expect much else…mom taught me too." He looked at his brother with sad eyes and brushed the bangs from the youth's eyes. _

"_She told me the circus was in town…do you think we can go?" _

_Sesshomaru smiled gently at his brother before nodding. "Yes…we can go, once you get better." _

"It's a habit I've never really been able to break. It helps me get to sleep sometimes…well…pass out really. But that's the closest I've ever really gotten to actually sleeping. Dad continued to hurt us, mom continued to drink, and Sess and I continued to stay as away from home as much as possible."

"Then it all changed. There was always two of us…always…" Inuyasha couldn't keep his tears at bay anymore. He wept quietly only stopping to wipe his eyes and start his tale again.

"It was four years after my first experiment with alcohol, I was 13; Sesshomaru was 17. Sess and I came home one late night. We had been hanging around the park all day and only came home to eat and sleep. Dad…" He paused and neither Kagome nor her mother made a movement to fill the pause. He wiped his eyes and tried to regain his composure. "Dad was drunk…drunk as ever. Mom had passed out and was lying on the couch with one of her soap operas on. We both…Sesshomaru and I…knew something was wrong the minute we walked in the house."

"Dad looked at Sesshomaru like he looked at one of his whores. I couldn't tell you how revolted I was. Sess…looked like a girl to a certain extent…but I would think he could tell the difference. I was afraid and confused. I think I knew what was going to happen…I just didn't want to believe any of it." He paused again, recollecting everything that he had tried hard to forget.

"Sesshomaru told me to go upstairs and I did as I was told. I've regretted it every day since. The last thing I saw was dad grabbing Sesshomaru and Sesshomaru pushing him away. Dad kissed him…I ran and hid in my room for hours. I heard them yell, I heard Sess scream…and at 4 in the morning I heard Sesshomaru come upstairs and slam his bedroom door."

"You mean…?" Mrs. Higurashi held onto her daughter's arm like her life depended on it.

"I don't know…I wasn't there…but yes, I think so. I think my dad…sexually molested my brother." Inuyasha held his head in his hands shaking it back and forth with shame.

Kagome and her mother gasped, tears falling from their eyes. "Sesshomaru didn't come out of his room for days…I'd sit outside the door and listen in to make sure he was okay. I left food outside the door for him before I'd go to sleep, it'd be gone by morning. Then one morning…it was still there…"

_13 year old Inuyasha stared confusedly at the tray full of food outside his older brother's room. He put his ear against the wooden door and heard nothing; he knocked once, twice, three times. He opened it carefully peeking in before he opened it fully. Through the small gap of the doorway Inuyasha saw a pair of plain black converse shoes dangling from the ceiling fan. _

_Inuyasha pushed the rest of the door open staring at the sight. Sesshomaru wore his favorite outfit, those ripped worn-in jeans and the tight blue shirt with one of the various bands he listened to on it; his black tie still around his bruised neck and the fan hanging from the ceiling. Inuyasha gaped openly at the sight._

_He didn't cry, he didn't scream, he didn't even try to get Sesshomaru down, he just stared. Sesshomaru's beautiful golden eyes weren't even there anymore, instead they were just white. His lips had turned blue with suffocation, reminding him of those hot days at Kikyou's._

_Inuyasha turned away from the scene leaving the door open. He walked downstairs as calmly as he had ever done before. He strolled into the kitchen littered with liquor bottles, stepped over his passed out mother and poured himself some cereal. He read the paper and ate at the same time, searching for the obituaries. When he found them he sought out his brother's name. He didn't know why. Sesshomaru's name didn't appear and he sighed deeply before putting his bowl in the sink and once again going back up the stairs. _

_Inuyasha stepped into his parent's room without knocking. His father lied on the bed with a beer bottle in his hand. "Sesshomaru is dead…" Inuyasha spoke loudly and without fear. It was like he wasn't even mentally there; he was in a sort of daze. _

_His father sat up with crimson eyes and chaotic hair. "What?" he slurred and held his head in his palm at the sound of his own voice._

"_Sesshomaru…he's dead." Inuyasha didn't falter, he still felt like he was living in a dream. _

"_Who?" _

"_Sesshomaru…you're son…" _

"_Oh…him. Yea, well I'll take care of that later." Sei fell back onto the pillows and went right back asleep. Inuyasha sighed went back into the hallway took one last look at his brother, closed the door and left the house._

"He….He hung himself, then?"

"…Yes." Inuyasha sat quietly wiping his eyes with his sleeves. He continued again, this time his voice shaking. "I was alone now. The two people I cared about most were gone."

A ghostly stillness had come over the room. The two women had tears rolling down their porcelain cheeks, holding one another's hands for emotional support. Inuyasha sat alone hugging himself and slowly rocking himself back and forth, hoping to calm himself.

He took a deep breath, wiped his eyes for the hundredth time that day and began his tale again. "I was on auto pilot for a long time…I think I finally snapped out of it when I left home, 2 weeks ago. Dad beat me more often, Sess wasn't there to protect me; I had to do that on my own now."

"I drank more often after Sesshomaru died. It put me to sleep, made me numb. I started smoking too; it helped calm my nerves, made me less anxious at home. By 15 I was messing around with pills, overdosing and stuff. I was turning into my brother."

"I started hurting myself at 16…I'm still not completely sure why. I'd sit in my closest with the kitchen knives and cut my arms to shreds. Maybe it was because for the few minutes that I was in my closest with my mother's knives I could concentrate on something other than my home life. I don't know." Inuyasha looked up for a brief moment and saw the women staring at him with disbelieving eyes.

As if to prove to them that such things were in fact reality he pulled up his sweatshirt sleeve and held his arm out to them. Scars marked his entire arm, some deeper and more noticeable than others but with one glance one could see thousands of marks. Kagome gasped holding her mother's hand tighter, more tears fell from Mrs. Higurashi's eyes.

"2 weeks ago…I decided to leave." Inuyasha's mind went back to that night, remembering every detail. "I came home late the night I left; I was hanging out with friends...my first_ real_ friends." He smiled slightly at the thought of Miroku and Sango.

"Dad…of course, didn't like that. We got in a fight and after he succeeded in beating the crap out of me…he told me…to kill myself. He even gave me the weapon. It wasn't like suicide was anything new to me. My brother committed it…and I had tried once before when I was 15, with overdosing. I was going to do it too…for real this time. But somehow, I just…couldn't, I don't know why and I'm not even sure I care. The important thing is, it that I didn't. I ran."

"Took the first bus I found and just left…didn't know where it went and didn't care. Turns out it was just outside of Tokyo, I wanted to get further away so I walked into the city to find another bus stop. I was mugged…that part was the absolute truth. That's when you found me…and…I'm grateful. I've…I've never spoken about this to anyone…" Inuyasha finally looked up for more than a minute and stared at Kagome and her mother.

"Are you telling the truth?" Mrs. Higurashi asked slowly, staring into the golden depths that were Inuyasha's eyes. "Because I don't think we can handle any more lies."

"And I don't think I can handle lying anymore…" Inuyasha said just as slowly.

They sat again in silence; then Mrs. Higurashi gasped and pulled the silver headed boy into a hug. "Oh, Jesus, you poor boy." She sobbed getting his shoulder wet. She began to mumble into his sweatshirt not making any sense at all. But it didn't matter. Inuyasha sat in shock and fear and then raised his arms to encircle Mrs. Higurashi.

He looked over her shoulder and saw Kagome crying quietly. She stared at him getting lost in his amber orbs, and him getting lost in her beauty. Her cheeks were blotchy, her eyes puffy, and her nose red but she still looked like a celestial being. He gave her a small tragic smile and mouthed 'it'll be okay'. She returned it by nodding and mouthing back 'I know'. They shared a mutual smile.

Mrs. Higurashi pulled away from Inuyasha after a long motherly embrace wiping her eyes. "We're going to save you."

A/N: Well…I think I should let all you readers know, that this whole story is dedicated to my friend Huy. Inuyasha's character is really based on him, I just thought that you should know…and stuff.

Long chapter. Haha. I hope you enjoyed it. It took forever, and I was a little nervous about it too…because I wasn't sure if the retelling of his past was going to be convincing. Tell me what you think.

To my magnificent reviewers, I love you all, and you all deserve…cookies…or something.

**HayLin4:** Good, hehe. I don't get the whole taquilla thing though. Hehe.

**Peoplekityo: **Thank you so much for reviewing. Hope to hear from you again. :)

**Whitewolf33: **I 3 gold stars! Thanks, you're so sweet! Haha.

**Demonsaya: **Haha, yup, but really I love your stories. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter.

**Inuyashasgirl1517: **I hope this is long enough for you. Well…It's longer than what I usually write. Thank you for the review.

**Luv,angel-muzik,baby:** :D Thanks you! I'm blushing right now. You're so nice.

**Seec:** Haha, looks that way. Please I beg of you! Don't go all hyper on me! Haha. :D

**Amber: **I should really be thanking you, it's really kind of you just to leave me a review.

**Inashosetai: **I hope that the rebooting of your computer went well. Haha, I didn't mean to make you cry. Honest! Or almost have a heart attack. I do the same thing with stories I read, I start laughing at the end, even though they're sad…I don't know, it's like impulse or something. Thanks so much for the support. :D Hope to talk to you later.

**Heavens lil cherry: **Wow, thanks so much. I loved your review, it really made proud. I'm grateful. :D

**Hanako Horigome: **Not too intense I hope, I don't want to cause any heart attacks. Thank you for your review.


	13. Big Brother

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

A/N: Wow, 114 reviews. I'm so proud and grateful. So firstly I would like to thank all of you who reviewed, you're so very kind and I really appreciate it. :D

Secondly, I would like to apologize for this being so late…again. School started last week and I've been busy with all my homework. I go to a college prep school, so it's hard to get free time. This chapter goes out to all my reviewers. I love you all.

I spent my last day of freedom at Bumbershoot, which is a music festival in Seattle. It was wonderful. School, the next day was kind of depressing but it was nice to see all my friends. I'm in 10th grade now…it's hard to believe. There are only 46 kids in my grade and only 300 kids in the entire school. I know them all really well; I think this year will be a good one.

Anyways, I wrote this chapter while stuffing my face with Taco Bell and listened to Jimmy Eat World. So now I feel really unhealthy. Jimmy Eat World isn't unhealthy though. "It takes my pain away…" okay, okay, I'm sorry I'll get to the story. guilty look

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 13-Big Brother **(no relation to 1984)

**Bi Polar**

Mrs. Higurashi had long retired upstairs, but Inuyasha and Kagome remained in the kitchen. He took small tentative sips from his tea and she watched him with curiosity. Neither made an effort to say anything. Kagome still was digesting everything that he had told her. She could hardly comprehend that the teenager sitting besides her had gone through what he had just revealed. His golden eyes were dull and somber.

Kagome didn't know what compelled her to abruptly reach out and hold his hand, but she did. His head shot up but his lips turned upward slightly when he saw her staring down at their interlocked hands.

"I haven't thought about him in a long time…" He spoke in a hushed voice, his voice hoarse from crying and talking.

She squeezed his hand. "Your brother?"

He nodded and gave a tragic smile at the thought. "I miss him. I can't believe it's been four years."

"I'm so sorry." She meant it sincerely and he knew, so he scooted close to her. Partially because he wanted her to know that he was okay and partially because he just wanted to be near her. Her sweet scent filled his nose and he sighed deeply, relaxing for the first time that day.

"It's fine…it's about time I gave him some thought…it's going to take some time to get over all of this…"

She nodded in understanding. "I…I really don't know what to say to you, it's hard to believe, you know."

"Yea, I wouldn't expect you to fully get it right away. You'd creep me out if you did." He gave a small chuckle; she smiled at his light attitude. It was quiet again, both fine with the silence. Inuyasha removed his hand from her's and got up to wash out his cup.

He leaned over the sink as thoughts Sesshomaru crowded his mind. Kagome stared at Inuyasha's back, she didn't get up or ask if he was okay; she just watched. Somehow it seemed like the right thing to do.

"I remember…" He spoke slowly. "When we use to spend days sleeping in the woods outside of park, I felt safer inside those dark woods than I ever did in my own home. Sesshomaru would always sneak different things from the house whenever we went back. Soon we had our own little utopia in the middle of some residential forest." He smiled.

"His funeral was pathetic…" The grin vanished from his face and he squeezed his eyes shut. "Dad didn't even show up. He had passed out the night before after hitting me. I came…bruised and bloody. Mom came with liquor. A flask in each one of her socks, one in her bra, and one in her hand. No one had hired a priest, dad only had enough money for a wooden cross and to hire a couple guys to dig and lower Sess into the grave. None of the kids from Sesshomaru's school came…they didn't know that he had even…died. It was just me and mom and two random guys standing there, in front of some puny cross." Inuyasha still stared at the sink breathing deeply feeling Kagome's eyes on his back. "I need to go visit him…"

"Do…Do you think that I can come?" Kagome switched her gaze to the floor, guilty for her question. She felt like she was intruding.

"…Yes. I think that would be grand." Inuyasha turned to look at her, his eyes softening. "He would've loved you."

She gave him a thankful smile. "I would've loved to have met him."

Inuyasha slid down the kitchen cabinets and sat on the linoleum floor. Kagome watched him sit there with that same dazed look that he had when she first saw him sitting in the sacred tree outside the kitchen window. They sat there for awhile, just in the quiet of the night.

Kagome got up slowly and moved across the kitchen to sit besides him. She laid her head on his shoulder, kissing his cheek in the process. He slid his arm around her waist pulling her closer, needing her warmth and gentleness.

"Inuyasha?"

"Hmm?"

"I…" She paused and Inuyasha didn't make an effort to fill it. "I think I'm falling in love with you."

He sat there, tense and soundless. Kagome began to pull back, feeling self conscious after his prolonged silence, but he pulled her back where she fell into his chest, sniffing in his musky scent. "No…don't go." There was another pause, but this one not quite as long. "I think I'm falling for you too."

She looked up into his handsome face that was covered by his unruly hair and smiled; Inuyasha smiled back before placing his lips over hers. It was a chaste kiss, slow and steady but over fast enough so that you missed it.

Kagome pulled away giving him a small peck on his lips and a grin, she fell back into his chest, listening to his soft steady heart beat. He laid his head atop her's, kissing her raven locks.

* * *

Inuyasha woke with the sun heating up his face. His eyes opened slowly, almost reluctantly. The kitchen was basked in the sunlight making him shut his eyes in surprise. He looked down to see Kagome still lying on his chest, her long black hair hanging over her pale face. He smiled at her, the scent of lavender consuming the area around them. He leaned back against the cabinets, taking in the scent of early morning and Kagome.

But a movement from the kitchen entrance made him catch his breath and sit straight up. Inuyasha turned his head and sighed in relief when he realized who it was.

"Morning Inuyasha." Mrs. Higurashi stood in the archway leading to the living room.

Inuyasha only nodded in return, not wanting to wake the blue eyed beauty that was currently drooling all over his shirt. Mrs. Higurashi gave him a knowing glance and a wink before moving to the refrigerator to start on breakfast. Inuyasha felt all the blood move to his face instantly turning him bright red with humiliation.

The small movement against his chest caused him to forget Mrs. Higurashi's awkward actions. Kagome's long eye lashes fluttered open, her charming blue eyes glistening with morning sleepiness.

She beamed up at Inuyasha, wiping the drool from her face and then moving to give him a quick kiss on the lips. Inuyasha, in turn, turned even redder with discomfort knowing that her mother was watching their every move. She pulled back giving him another grin.

"Morning!" She said brightly.

"Umm…" Inuyasha nodded his head towards the kitchen table. Kagome turned to look where he was nodding and stiffened when she saw her mother looking at them with her eyebrows raised. Mrs. Higurashi giggled and went upstairs to wake Souta for school.

Kagome slowly turned to look at Inuyasha, both blushing madly. Kagome scooted away from Inuyasha and got to her feet. He missed her warmth and frowned at her as she looked down at him. She smiled knowing the reason for his sadness and held out her hand. "I have to go to school, you know that."

"Yea…but I still wish you could stay here with me." He pouted.

"Don't worry; school will be over before you know it."

"I hope you're right."

He grabbed her hand and she helped him up. He went to sit down at the kitchen table and she ran upstairs to get changed.

It was only a matter of minutes before Souta came rushing down the stairs only to halt at the kitchen table. He stared at Inuyasha with only the type of innocent curiosity that a child could offer. Inuyasha stared right back at the small blue eyed boy. Then in a flash Inuyasha found him in his arms, Souta burrowing his head in Inuyasha's sweatshirt. "I'm so glad you're back." He stepped back and gave him a toothy smile and watery eyes.

Inuyasha stared down at Souta before grinning and pulling him into another hug. Surprisingly the young boy had grown on him. "I afraid I was never going to see you again…big brother…" Souta said the last part hesitantly, not wanting to insult the older boy.

But Inuyasha smiled gently before answering. "I don't think I'll be going anywhere anytime soon, little brother." Souta beamed and went to sit in the chair next to him to begin his morning routine of jabbering nonsense.

Kagome was back downstairs in minutes, pushing her brother out of his chair so she could sit next to the silver haired teenager. Souta pouted and the two started arguing like siblings so often do. Inuyasha ignored it, thinking about all that had happened over the past few hours.

He had let go. It was time to leave it behind. It was time to start over anew.

He was no longer a prisoner of his own fear and addictions. Better yet, he was no longer a prisoner to his parents. He was free.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome's impatient voice thundered above his loud thoughts. He turned to her startled.

"Huh?"

"I said that I have to go." She looked miserable to leave him, the feeling was mutual but he hid it well not wanting her to get distracted from her school work.

"Then I'll see you in a little while." He stood up from his chair and walked to the back door where she now stood. He leaned down smirking at her red cheeks before he quickly moving in for the kill. She closed her eyes and smiled, bringing her arms up around his neck. Inuyasha held her close savoring the taste of the strawberry gloss on her soft lips. They pulled apart when Souta started to make smooching sounds then replacing it with 'eww's' and 'that's so gross'.

They grinned at each other their cheeks red with embarrassment. Kagome gave him a small hug before she pulled away and walked out the door waving to him on the way out. Souta followed her, but not before whispering. "Now you really can be my big brother, I won't have to pretend."

A/N: Thanks again to you reviewers. I'm really grateful.

**HayLin4: **haha. Hyper, maybe? Thanks for the review.

**GIRL IN STORY: **I'm glad you liked the retelling, I was afraid it wouldn't work out. I really wish it wasn't based on my friend either. But he's doing a lot better now and I'm so relieved. Thanks for you review and your concern. :)

**Whitewolf33: **hehe. Cookies are always good rewards. :D Thank you.

**Luv,angel-muzik,baby: **Thank you so much for your kindness. I'll tell him, I'm sure he'll appreciate more than anything. He's doing better, so hopefully everything will work out. Hmm…any type you want. I'm a pretty good cook, but chocolate chip cookies are my favorite. Yours?

**Inuyashasgirl1517:** Thanks and no problem, I'll try and get some long chapters in here and there. But this is once again a little calm before the storm.

**DarkWolves Faith:** Aww, you're so sweet, thank you so much. :D I'm pleased you liked it.

**Jakenliker: **haha, everyone has been saying that it was really sad. I hope it isn't too horribly depressing. :)

**Mikomi the youkai: **Yes ma'am! salutes hehe.

**Bubblez4ya:** Aw! I didn't mean to make you cry! hands tissue box I'm so sorry, I'm pleased you liked it though. :D

**Ya1ya: **I'm making everyone cry and I feel guilty. What was I getting myself into when I decided to write and angst fic? Haha. Thank you so much for the review though.

**One-Mean-Rabbit:** I hope I didn't hurt you in anyway. Hitting that sore spot, that is. You're a lovely person and your review has made me so proud. Reviews like yours keep me writing. I'm so appreciative. (By the way, I love your name. :D)

**Peoplekityo: **Thank you so much. I tried really hard to define the characters personalities, even if Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are out of character. I wanted them to become their own person and not just…normal, I guess. Anyways, I'm glad I achieved that and thank you so much for your support. :D I hope you like this fluff. 3

**InuKagluver91: **haha. Is that a good Jesus Christ or a bad Jesus Christ? I was thinking the same thing when I was writing the last chapter chapter. Hehe.

**TheyCallMeTaterSalad:** Thank you. :) I love Inuyasha's-past-sucks-balls stories. Haha.

**AnimeAngelz: **Oh! Please don't cry! Here's some fluff to make you happy!

**Inashosetai: **I'm so sorry you cried! Well, I wasn't actually going to put in the whole sexually molested thing, but as I thought about it more and more; Sesshomaru wouldn't commit suicide unless something really horrible happened. He wouldn't leave Inuyasha alone if it weren't for something traumatizing. Thanks for all the support. I hope we can talk sometime soon, it's been awhile.

**Hanako Horigome: **Thanks for the review…I'm sorry for making it so sad; but I wanted to make it memorable, haha, guess it worked.

**Kasandra:** Don't worry, I think it's almost impossible for a romance story not to have a good ending.

**Akina315: **I hope I see another review from you, if you're still reading. :D I also hope that you didn't cry too hard. Thanks.

**Zfreak: **I'm delighted you like it so much, even though it is an angsty fic.

**Amber: **Amazing. Hehe…you're making me blush. Thanks. :D

**Angel61991:** All 12? Wow, I'd have to take a break. My attention span is tiny. Thanks for the support. :)

**King-shippo: **Thank you for reviewing. I love getting them. :D

**Carol J: **hehe I'm so lucky you found it. Thanks. :D

Please review! Hopefully the next chapter will be a little longer.


	14. Time to Go

Disclaimer: I Don't own Inuyasha.

A/N: Well, finished up this chapter. I'm thinking that I'll try and update every weekend.

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 14-Time to Go**

**Bi Polar**

Inuyasha sat in his tree, snoozing in the late spring heat. Souta's voice rang through the shrine yelling his name.

Inuyasha looked down at the base of his tree, seeing Souta staring right back up at him. He put a finger to his lips signaling the boy to be quieter. He didn't want his name to be shouted everywhere, seeing as how he was on the news only a day ago. Souta turned red with embarrassment. "Come down." He said quietly.

Inuyasha nodded before hopping down with inhuman grace. Souta held up his soccer ball. "Wanna play?"

He had never played soccer in his life. Sometimes he and Sesshomaru watched the kids play it at the park or in the street but he knew hardly anything about the sport itself. "Umm…I've never played before."

"I can teach you!" He jumped up and down with excitement.

"Oh…Ok." Inuyasha walked to the main walkway not sure what he was supposed to do.

Souta ran to the other end and dropped the ball before him. He gave a forceful kick and the ball flew into the air and rocketed straight at the older boy's face. Inuyasha, in turn, put his arms up for protection. He felt it hit his forearms stinging a little afterwards.

Inuyasha picked up the ball holding it in one hand and giving Souta an inquiring glare.

The young boy rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Sorry about that Inuyasha…"

"Maybe you forgot…I've never played before…"

"Oh yea…well, I guess we should start from the beginning." Souta held out his hands for Inuyasha to throw him the ball, and he did. "In the game soccer, you can't use your hands at all…unless you're goalie. You know what that is, right?"

Inuyasha vaguely remembered Sesshomaru trying to explain the game to him. "Umm…yea…they're the guys by the net things right?"

"Yea that's them!" Souta clapped his hands with enthusiasm. "Ok…now let's just start out slowly ok? I'm going to lightly kick the ball to you and you kick it back." Souta dropped the ball in front of him once again.

Inuyasha bit his lip watching Souta uneasily. He let out a breathe he didn't know he was holding in when he saw the white and black soccer ball slowly roll up to him and stop at his feet. He stared down at the ball before following Souta's movements and kicking it back to him.

* * *

Kagome watched Souta and Inuyasha kick the soccer ball back and forth from the kitchen window. She smiled before going to the counter to make the boys some sandwiches; they looked like they might need something to eat.

He had changed. That one thought kept buzzing through her mind. He was smiling, truly smiling. He was comfortable and loved. She could sense a type of calm when he was around. He had some kind of bizarre curiosity about him that made her want to show him everything that he had missed out on as a child.

She walked out the back door and was greeted with the light laughter of the two boys. Inuyasha sat by the tree, sweaty and tired and Souta stood above him juggling his soccer ball like a professional.

Inuyasha sighed a mighty sigh and leaned his head against the tree that he loved so much. He closed his eyes, savoring the warmth of the sun on his face and the laughter of the young blue eyed boy besides him. 'The only thing that would make this moment perfect would be'…lavender filled his nose before he was able to finish his thought and he opened his eyes to see Kagome standing before him with a tray full of food and a smile on her face.

He grinned patting the grass next to him for her to sit. She obeyed meekly, setting the tray down next to her and handing him a sandwich and juice box. Souta came to sit next to his new big brother taking food from his sister and chopping on it loudly.

Inuyasha thanked Kagome quietly, eating his sandwich with tiny cautious bites. She smiled at him; he looked like a 5 year old, sitting there in his grass-stained jeans, his face covered with jam and dirt, smiling blissfully. She beamed, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. He turned red and turned to look at her then grabbed her hand humbly.

Souta watched the two and smiled widely before stuffing the last of his sandwich into his mouth and getting up to juggle his ball again.

* * *

Kagome stood in front of the stove slowly mixing her mother's favorite type of stew. Souta ran around placing silver ware and plates on the table. Inuyasha stood next to Kagome chopping, mixing, and tasting. Whatever Kagome ordered him to do he complied merrily. Mrs. Higurashi sat at the table with a cup of tea in hand; she had been given the day off.

Kagome held out her spoon for him to taste and he did so, licking his lips and giving her a toothy grin. "Inuyasha can you quickly make the salad?"

"Sure." He went to the refrigerator and pulled out all he needed.

Souta came to stand next to him. "Did I tell you Inuyasha! My friend Riku-chan is letting borrow his really cool video game!"

"Oh?"

"I'll show it to you." Souta ran upstairs wanting nothing more than to impress the older boy.

Mrs. Higurashi chuckled and Kagome smiled and shook her head at her brother. She held out another spoon full of soup for Inuyasha to test.

"Wonderful. Even better than the kind Sesshomaru made when I was sick….well…anything could have been better than that." He stuck out his tongue to prove his dislike for his late brother's efforts.

Kagome laughed but it was cut short when the doorbell rang through the house, she made her way to the door. "Come on Inuyasha, it couldn't have been that bad." She turned the knob slowly laughing at Inuyasha's retching noises from the kitchen.

Her heart stopped, literally stopped. She stood in the doorway staring at the two men in uniform that stood before her. "Excuse me, Miss, but we've had reports of teenage runaway Inuyasha Takashi staying here."

She didn't say anything. She didn't move, and she didn't breathe.

"Miss?"

The thudding of small feet on the stairway caused her to turn around and look back at the archway leading to the kitchen. "Inuyasha!" Souta jumped down the stairwell waving the game case in the air. The two police men turned to look at each other before nodding.

"Miss, we're gonna have to take a look around."

"Wait! You can't do that!" Kagome wouldn't let them. She wouldn't let them take him away from her. She stood in the doorway holding out her arms not allowing either of them pass.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha walked out of the kitchen. "What's taking you so lon—." She stepped aside and he felt his heart constrict. The plate he held fell to the floor with a clatter and everything seemed to go numb.

The two police men pushed pass Kagome and Inuyasha backed away instinctively. "No…" He breathed out.

Mrs. Higurashi pushed against the table and stood worriedly from her chair. She walked quietly over to Inuyasha putting her hand on his shoulder and staring intently at his pale face. "What is it Inuyasha?" He didn't say anything so she turned to see what he was staring at, and raised a shaky hand to cover her mouth. Tears leaked out of her eyes and she held in a sob.

The police sauntered up to the young wide eyed boy. "Inuyasha Takashi?" The older, graying officer gave him a sad smile while the younger one took hold of his arm. "We're gonna have to bring you back home, son." Inuyasha shook his arm out of the policeman's grasp still backing away. Souta stood behind his mother biting his lip and watching the scene with an intense gaze.

"I…I…" Inuyasha stuttered, not knowing what to say or what to do.

"Come on son. It's time to go." The younger man continued prodding the boy.

"No." Inuyasha didn't look at the man he stared at Kagome. Her blue eyes filled with fear and sadness.

"What do you mean 'no'?" The younger man gripped his arm tighter making Inuyasha wince slightly.

"He can't go!" Kagome ran forward pushing the brown haired officer away from Inuyasha and standing in front of him her eyes watering.

"Look, girl, he's a runaway." He pushed Kagome out of the way softly and grabbed Inuyasha again. Inuyasha turned to look at the three Higurashi's. All of their eyes identical.

"You…you lied." Souta spoke quietly to the ground. Inuyasha stared at the boy. His head shot up and his eyes flared. "You lied! You said! You said that you wouldn't be leaving! You said that Inuyasha! You lied!" His eyes watered, tears frantically falling down his face. His voice dropped down to a whisper. "You…you lied…"

"No!" Inuyasha tried to get out of the grasp of the police officer to comfort the poor kid but said officer just held on tighter. Souta ran upstairs and threw Inuyasha's ratty leather bag down the stairs before slamming his bedroom door shut.

He was being dragged out of the house whether he liked it or not. Kagome ran forward taking his hand. He had to let go, they wouldn't let him stay here and he knew it. Kagome was crying and Mrs. Higurashi stared biting her lip to keep her tears from leaking anymore. Inuyasha let go of Kagome's small pale hand letting small salty tears fall from his amber orbs as he did so. She cried harder as the officers pulled him to the front door.

He smiled, tears streaming down his pastel cheeks. "Don't worry Kagome." Part of him believed that everything was really going to be okay but the other half had a sinking feeling making him fully aware that he was being dragged to his worst nightmare.

The sunlight made him close his eyes and wince. He heard people, a lot more people than should be out on the shrine grounds at his hour. He looked up and saw reporters and they saw them. Oh did they see him. All the journalists rushed up holding microphones to his mouth and firing question after question at him. He put a hand up to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun and the two police men pushed the noisy reporters back.

Inuyasha looked back at the front door of the Higurashi house. Kagome was sobbing, Mrs. Higurashi holding her daughter in comfort. His heart sunk. He was being pushed into the police car, the door slammed behind him.

A/N: So…this chapter is done with. Next chapter will be better, I'm hoping. :D

**Peoplekityo: **Hahaha, thanks so much. I've really enjoyed talking to you over emails. Hehe, you're so nice. :D I hope to talk to you later.

**AnimeAngelz:** Here's some angst…I'm sorry I had to end your fluff fest there, but I just needed for it to get a tad bit depressing there. (I drool in my sleep too. Haha) Thanks for the review.

**HayLin4:** 7th grade does suck. I'm sorry. But I'm really glad you like the last chapter, I hope you like this one just as much…well I doubt that because it's a kind of…sad. But don't worry! It's not over yet.

**Whitewolf33:** Thanks so much for the review. I tried really hard to make a relationship between the Higurashi's and Inuyasha. Thanks for the comment, it made me so happy. Hehe.

**Hanako Horigome: **Thanks for the review. :D

**Lady Scorpio:** Thanks for review. You totally boosted my ego when you said that you liked how I portrayed the character. Haha.

**Arbiter555:** I don't like when Sesshomaru is mean to Inuyasha. So I just decided to change it. Hehe. I wish I could revive him…but……Thanks for the review. Hehe.

**SeeC:** CAPS LOCK! OMG! Thanks for the update on your name changing and for the review.

**Bubblez4ya:** Thanks so much, it really made me feel loved. 3

**Angel61991: **You're so cool! Haha, because you can concentrate that long. :) Thanks.

**Alex: **Thank you for your review. It really means a lot.

**TheyCallMeTaterSalad: **Haha. I love your approval stamp. :D

**Akina315:** I'm glad it made you smile. Thanks for the review.

**DemonSaya:** Thank you. Nice to hear from you again. :D

**Inahosetai:** That's okay, I can understand. I have a lot of homework and stuff too. Hahaha, I'm glad I have a friend like you that will hunt me down and make sure I finish the story. :)

**EcHoInG SoLiTuDe:** :D Thanks for the review.

**Luv,angel-muzik,baby: **Chocolate is wonderful, and since it's so wonderful I'll make you cyber chocolate chip cookies. Hehe thanks for the review.

**Fanficluv7Inu:** Haha. Thanks for the cute review. :D

**One-Mean-Rabbit:** No problem, it really is a cute name. Hehe. Thanks for the review.

**Yoomie: **:P You and your PSP! Hehe.

**Zfreak:** Thanks so much for the comment. :D

**King-shippo:** Aww! Thanks so much!

Please review!


	15. Only That She Knew

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. 3 I laughed…I know I shouldn't have but…I just couldn't help it at some of your guy's reviews. Now, now, guys, don't get too angry at the poor policemen; they're just doing their jobs. But go ahead and mentally kill his parents as many times as you feel you need to.

My friend Huy, who this story is kind of based off of, came to visit yesterday. It was so great to see him again. He looks a lot better. I didn't realize I had missed him so much until he had to leave again.

I've been working on another story…off and on. This one has taken up most of my time, so I haven't been thinking about it much. But! The new My Chemical Romance music video came out, and I was like "Holy shit! It's kind of like that fic I was working on." So thank you MCR for reminding me to work on my other story. If you guy's haven't seen My Chemical Romance's new video "The Ghost of You" I highly recommend it, it's really moving.

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 15-Only That She Knew**

**Bi Polar**

His palms were sweaty. He felt sick, so sick; he tried to close his eyes to calm himself but he instantly opened them again when felt lunch come up.

"Why'd you run, kid?" The younger officer asked from the front seat.

Inuyasha glanced at the officer, and then turned to look back out the window. He felt like a caged animal. "I guess I just got tired of it all." Telling them the truth would lead to investigations which would lead to his parent's killing him.

"That's no excuse. You can't always run away from your problems kid. I tell you! You punks today don't respect anything. Only care for yourself. You're selfi—" The older policeman glared at the younger one making him shut up at once.

"Don't worry son. We'll get you home soon." The older one gave the teenager a little smile; Inuyasha felt his stomach churn and he held a pale hand to his mouth. He took a deep breath and held his head in his hands, begging himself not to cry.

The car ride ended too soon. They were slowing down; Inuyasha looked out the window to see his horrendous house, his parents standing in the front yard. His mother looked tired, probably drunk and his father looked like he was still trying to sober up. A small group of reporters stood with them asking questions but stopped right away when they saw the squad car pull up to the house.

The older police man opened the car door letting Inuyasha out and making sure he wasn't mauled by the prying reporters. Inuyasha felt so nauseous. He could feel the eyes of everyone on his back. His held onto his leather backpack like it was the only thing keeping him alive.

* * *

"This is it, right?" Miroku's hands were shaking so hard he could hardly grip the steering wheel. 

"Yea."

"You sure?"

"Yes." Sango nodded her head; she knew what she saw that evening on the television; not a doubt clouded her mind.

"Okay."

Miroku parallel parked on the empty curb and got out of the small rickety car, Sango followed suit. They stared at the long steady climb to the shrine where they felt sure they would find their friend, or at least what had happened to him. He held her hand. Not only to calm her down but for him, to keep him from shaking so bad.

They momentary looked at each other as they stood at the front door. Sango brought her hand up and gave it a quick loud knock. They waited patiently but their insides were squirming.

A young woman about their age opened the door. "Yes?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. They couldn't see her face for her long black hair hung in her eyes.

"Umm…" Miroku looked at Sango and she gave him a nod. "Do you know a Inuyasha Takashi?" Kagome's head shot up and she looked at the two teenagers before her.

"What?" Her eyes were wide and inquiring. She pulled a loose strand of her silky dark hair behind her ear and then ushered them inside. "You know Inuyasha?"

Miroku still held Sango's hand tightly as they were pulled into the stranger's home. They stood in her living room bewildered and not sure of what they should do. She led them into the center of the room where she lightly pushed them into the soft couch.

"How do you know Inuyasha?" She sat in the chair opposite of them waiting for one of them to speak.

Sango looked at Miroku, dazed at what had just happened; he had the identical look on his face. "Well…uhh…" They didn't know where to start.

"Please anything you know." Kagome looked at them with pleading eyes.

"Erm…we go to school with Inuyasha. And when he disappeared…we went looking for him. We saw him on the TV today so we came here. Something about his parents…something's not right." Miroku didn't look at the girl. He held onto Sango's hand tightly, afraid that if he let it go something horrible would happen.

The girl sitting before them began to cry. Her crystal blue eyes looking like flooding rivers. She wiped her eyes daintily before turning to them and apologizing for her outbreak.

"Was he here?" Sango spoke gently trying not to upset her anymore.

"Yes…"

"What happened?" Miroku spoke anxiously.

"He was taken away." She cried harder. "He was taken back home."

"Oh no." Sango got a sinking feeling in her stomach knowing something wasn't right.

"I couldn't do anything…nothing at all." Kagome wiped her eyes trying to get the salty tears to stop pouring out.

"Oh please don't cry." Sango let go of Miroku's hand and sat on the arm of Kagome's chair. She rubbed the blue eyed girl's back. "It'll be okay."

Kagome took a deep breath and calmed herself; wiping her eyes she thanked Sango softly. "I'm Kagome." She held out her hand to Sango giving her a tiny smile.

"I'm Sango and that's Miroku."

Miroku waved from the couch. "Hi."

The three sat there for some time. Talking softly and drinking tea that Kagome made. It felt like they had known each other forever. It was around 2 in the morning now and all of them had the same thing on their minds. How was Inuyasha? Was he okay?

"Do you know where he lives?" Kagome looked down at her tea.

"Yea…we went there when he didn't show up for school."

"I want to go see him."

"When?"

"Soon."

"Well…Sango and I need to get back to Kofu soon…I guess you can come."

"Thanks." Kagome smiled.

"We'll leave tomorrow morning, then." Miroku smiled at Kagome, despite the mutual feeling of uneasiness.

* * *

The officer who was holding onto his shoulder stopped and Inuyasha looked up to see the disgruntled face of his father and the confused face of his mother. His father took the arm of his son squeezing it tightly as warning. "I'm glad you're safe son…" He spoke loud enough for the reporters to hear but quietly enough so that it held some kind of uncanny threat about it. His mother still watched with dazed eyes. He winced as his father gripped his arm, making him aware of the reporters and their questioning. 

"Why'd you run away?"

"Are you happy to be home?"

"Did you have a special relation with the Higurashi prior to your running away?"

"Do you think you need help for these self inflicted problems that you're parents notified us about?"

Inuyasha felt like he was going to pass out, his chest hurt. It felt like an invisible hand was squeezing his heart, breaking his ribs, and deflating his lungs. He wanted to go up into his room, lock his door, and never see the light of day again.

"Excuse me, but I think my son needs to go upstairs and rest. All of this has been quite exhausting to him, I believe." His father spoke slowly, trying to maintain normal speech and not to slur. He gave Inuyasha's arm another powerful squeeze making him hiss quietly. That would leave a bruise.

Inuyasha took the hint, and walked to the house. He closed the door and ran up the stairs and into his room, locking his door behind him. He had installed the old rusted lock shortly after Sesshomaru's death. He sat in the corner of his room holding his leather backpack to his chest. There was still the faint smell of lavender, oh how he loved that smell.

He could hear the muffled voices of his parents and reporters. He didn't care what they were saying about him. How screwed up he was and why he ran away. He didn't care because Kagome knew the truth and that was all that mattered to him. Only that she knew.

A/N: I hope that the next chapter will come out a little sooner. School has been hectic. Thank you to everyone who left reviews, the support is so great.

**Hanako Horigome:** I'm sorry. :( I didn't mean to make you depressed…well, technically I did…but don't worry! Everything will be fine in the end.

**Bubblez4ya:** Haha. :D I felt like Kagome while I was writing it. I was like "No! Poor Inuyasha! Why am I so evil?" Thanks for the review.

**AnimeAngelz:** Sorry for all the angst…didn't want to get you upset. But no worries! It'll be okay.

**Peoplekityo:** I'm so sorry:( I just wanted to say that it's nice getting to know you. You're a really sweet person and all your support really helps.

**Auxana:** OMG! POCKY! 3 3 Thanks so much for the review. I'm glad you like it.

**Angel61991:** I'm not too sure how many chapters are left in this story but it's getting near the end. Thanks for the review.

**TheyCallMeTaterSalad:** Hahaha. Are you kidding me? I love you so much. All your reviews crack me up. :D Thanks so much for the review by the way. I thought the story needed a tad bit more angst, so yes…he's probably going to get a "little" battered in the next chapter.

**Inuyasha05:** D: Sorry. I feel guilty for all this angst that I'm making you all go through. Thanks for the review.

**HayLin4:** Haha. You're so funny. :D Don't worry, I have no recent plans of deaths. :D Thanks for the comment.

**Inahosetai:** Haha. I'm so sorry we haven't talked in awhile. :( I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks for the review. :D

**Inuyashabooklover5188: **Sorry, sorry, sorry! Please don't kill me! hides in corner Anyways, thanks so much for the review. Sorry for all the angst.

**Akina315:** Shh…it's a secret. You'll hear how they knew soon enough. Thanks for the review.

**Kasatka:** Thanks so much for the review. You're so sweet. 3

**Skystar:** blush Thanks…you're so kind. :D Thanks for reviewing.

**Xianora:** You really complimented me when you asked me to review your story. I left you some reviews. :D I hope to see you review in the coming chapters. And, yea this is my first fanfic. Thanks. 3

**Carol J: **Thanks so much for the review. :D

**Luv,angel-muzik,baby:** You betcha. :D hehe. Thanks for reviewing.

3 Please review! 3


	16. Her Face

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, as of now.

A/N: This chapter took me quite some time. So I'm sorry.

I have to do a presentation for one of my classes. We have to bring in lyrics of a song and talk about it. It's supposed to be deep…but instead I'm doing a song about a sailor who gets eaten by a whale. :D

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 16-Her Face**

**Bi Polar**

It was two in the morning and his eyes were drooping. He hadn't moved since he had come back. His knees were pulled up against his chest where he rested his head wearily. Inuyasha just wanted to close his eyes and forget about everything, but he didn't dare. One false move and he didn't know if he would see tomorrow.

He felt almost numb sitting there in his corner, letting out a deep sigh, his mind wandering to Kagome. He could almost see her face, and it gave him a weird sense of nostalgia.

Inuyasha gave a small smile and buried his head deeper into the leather bag. It was calming to see Kagome standing there, in her school uniform under the God tree in his mind, but it ended abruptly when his stomach gave a loud growl. He held a hand to his abdomen, begging it to stop howling in distress. He began to sweat hoping that it was only loud to his paranoid ears. He prayed that no one else would care. Getting up slowly and cautiously Inuyasha stood against the wall trying to get to his bed, where he had remembered he had some ancient granola bars from a few years ago stocked under his bed mattress.

He walked with his back against the wall, holding his leather bag to his chest, making sure he stepped over any of the squeaky floorboards. He had memorized every part of this house; he had to in order to survive. He sat lightly on the edge of his bed, lifting the mattress and peeking underneath. A half a bottle of vodka and 3 stale granola bars. Yup, that would be enough; he took all 3 bars and the bottle out from underneath his aged mattress.

He put the bottle to his lips and took a swig of the liquor. It left a warm, bitter taste in his mouth. Unwrapping a granola bar, he shoved it in his mouth. Inuyasha lay down on his hard bed looking at the ceiling intently. He wondered when he'd be able to leave again or even if he would be able to leave again.

He sat there for 2 hours watching the ceiling and taking an occasional sip of his vodka or bite of his stale breakfast bars. Inuyasha's stomach continued to growl obnoxiously and he glanced at the clock. 4:13…by this time the people he called parents were usually passed out somewhere. He speculated if it would be safe for him to go to the kitchen and get some food. His stomach gave an enormous lurch and he decided once and for all that he was going downstairs.

His walked down to the kitchen like a burglar would, focusing on the stairs with trained eyes. He could hear the TV from the living room; it was on one of mom's American soap operas. He could tell because of the dialogue. It was along the same lines as "No, David, you can't! Miranda is carrying your child and your brother Tim will never forgive you if you tell him about Jessica's death!" It was one of those things that made no sense but got all those sappy women worked up.

He stood at the base of the stairs congratulating himself for a job well done on the soundless creep to the living room. But his celebrating was cut short when he saw his father sitting in his recliner glaring at him. Inuyasha's smile dropped from his face and he instinctively retreated towards the wall. His mother lay in the kitchen with bottles and cans littered around her.

"Where were you going?" His father's voice was disturbingly calm.

"…No where…."

"Planning to run off again?" Sei turned to look at his son with red eyes and untamed hair.

"No."

"You caused a lot of trouble."

Inuyasha stood there wringing his hands, wishing now more than ever he was sitting in the Higurashi's kitchen with Kagome. Even his cold dark room was better than here; at least up there he had a door with a lock to offer a feeble attempt at protection.

"You caused a lot of trouble, boy…." He repeated, but this time with a little more malice lining his words.

What was he suppose to say to that? 'Sorry?' Oh yea, I'm sure he'd completely forgive him after that.

"You were useless before, but now…now you're just a nuisance. At least before you didn't make trouble." Sei's words were terrifyingly dangerous; he didn't tear his threatening gaze from the teenager standing before him.

"I didn't mean to make trouble…" Inuyasha spoke quietly, trying desperately to make up for the 2 and half weeks he was absent from home.

"Of course you meant to make trouble you son of a bitch! Otherwise you wouldn't have done it!" His voice was so loud Inuyasha was surprised his mother didn't wake up. When the silver headed boy finally comprehended what his father had said, his eyes blazed and he bit his lip in rage and revulsion.

"Trouble! Trouble! What the fuck do you know about trouble you bastard? Has the thought ever occurred to you, that maybe I left because my 'loving' son of a bitch father beats the shit out of me every God damn day!" Inuyasha's face was beet red with anger; he even dared to walk a little closer to the man who haunted his dreams.

"Don't you dare, you little piece of shit!" His father stood from his chair glaring at the younger boy.

"And why shouldn't I! You took everything you asshole! You took everything that meant something to me! You took both of them!" His eyes burnt with tears.

"Aw! You poor thing!" Sei mocked a mother's voice making Inuyasha blare with resentment.

"You bastard." Inuyasha hissed out.

Sei looked fiercely into Inuyasha's amber eyes.

Inuyasha didn't care anymore. He didn't care that he was finally standing up to the father who had beaten him for so long. He didn't care that he was finally glaring that the man who had murdered his brother and caretaker.

"I hate you…I fucking hate you!" The tears he had been holding in burst from his eyes and he clenched his hands into fists, glowering at the man who had caused him so much pain.

Sei brought his hand down upon his son's face, making a loud resounding slap echo throughout the house. Inuyasha put a hand to his stinging cheek before turning back to face his father. Sei looked quite surprised by the boy's actions.

He brought his hand up again to give Inuyasha another smack to the face. The amber eyed boy stopped him, holding his wrist and giving his father a disgusted face.

"You killed my brother…"

"I don't remember hanging him." The middle aged man spoke in a menacing whisper.

"You didn't need to." Inuyasha matched his father's ominous tone.

"I don't quite know what you mean by that, 'son'."

"Sess hung himself on his own; all he needed was a little push." Inuyasha gripped Sei's arm tighter.

"He would've killed himself anyway." Sei wrenched his arm free from his son's grasp.

"No. He had me. The only reason he died is because of you…" Inuyasha shook his head, tears falling from his amber eyes.

"No wonder he killed himself…after all he had you."

"You God damn son of a bitch. You son of a bitch!" Inuyasha pushed his father's chest where he fell against the television, knocking it over.

Sei stared at his son in disbelief, before he reached behind him and grabbed one of the many empty beer bottles. He gave a vicious look at the boy before slamming the bottle down on the fallen TV breaking it in two.

He held it up and smiled devishly at Inuyasha. "I'm sick of you."

Inuyasha's breath caught as he stared at his disturbed father. Sei shuffled over to his son still smiling.

"You stay away from me!" Inuyasha backed away.

Sei laughed wildly before stopping and staring at the silver haired boy. In little more than a second Inuyasha was on the floor with glass sticking out of his shoulder. He looked up at his disgruntle father, his heart picked up pace.

His shoulder was bleeding, he could feel it sticking to his clothes and staining the floor. He brought his hand to the gashes where he felt 3 large pieces of glass sticking out. He was indistinctly was reminded of the alley way, the mugger, and the stabbing. He fingered the glass and winced at the stinging.

His father took up the lamp that sat by his recliner and threw it down on Inuyasha where it shattered against his skull. More blood. It drenched his hair dying it red. Inuyasha lay on the floor already tired from two hits, how much longer?

Inuyasha held his arms up over his face and kicked his legs out in various directions hoping that maybe, just maybe, he would kick his father and be left alone for the night. But in the back of his mind, he knew that this was going to be the worst beating of his entire life.

Halfway through the hitting and kicking he became numb. All that was going through his mind was her voice and her face. He would hurt tomorrow, oh would he hurt. He could feel bruises forming, blood pouring, and his heart breaking.

* * *

Inuyasha didn't know what time it was when he woke up. He couldn't move, that was all he was aware of. Everything was hurting; there wasn't a bone in his body right now that wasn't screaming out in agony.

He sat up slowly and looked around in a daze. His mother hadn't moved, his father was nowhere in sight. His head was pounding. He reached around him, searching for something to hold onto and found the couch. Inuyasha pulled himself up with the help of the couch and held his head trying to rid himself of the throbbing against his brain.

It took him an hour to reach his room where he collapsed on the floor by his bed. It was too much work to pull himself onto the bed, plus the floor was much more comfortable.

He didn't dare look down to see his injuries. God he felt sick. His arms were burning, but he reached up on his bed and grabbed his leather bag. He pulled out his cigarettes, took one out, lit it, and took a long drag.

He momentarily thought of Kagome, and how she would look if she saw him now. Without even realizing it he put the fag out and threw the rest of the packet across the room. He was tired, so tired…his bruised eyes closed and he fell into a needed sleep, Kagome's face in his mind.

A/N: Phew, that took awhile. I had a hard time coming up with the chapter title. So if any of you got any better titles for the chapter, go ahead and share them with me. I tend to like to make the title a sentence or word that's in the chapter. Thanks for all the reviews. 184! Wow, I'm so happy…I can't even express it. Hehe. :D

**Amanda Trinh: **Hehe, I'm sorry for making you cry. See I'm an emo kid…so…I guess I cry all the time. Haha. Thanks so much for the chocolate! YUM! I hope to hear from you again, your reviews are really sweet. They hold a lot of personality to them.

**Kasandra:** Why, Thanks you! You're pretty cool yourself. :D It's so nice to get reviews, I really appreciate it.

**PeopleKityo:** I'm so sorry! My email so retarded. :( Every time I email you, it sends it back to me. I'm so sorry. I've been trying really hard to get it fixed, so I promise to get it fixed and email you right away. AND! I also promise to make everything in Cigs and Lav okay. Hehe. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye. XD

**Inuyashabooklover5188:** Haha. NO! not the poking! Tee hee. Go ahead and kill his parents all you want…I've been getting that craving quite a bit too…and I created them. Haha. Kagome will probably come into play in the next chapter…I'm pretty sure.

**Kip430:** Oh no…not the puppy dog eyes…I can't resist them. Okay…okay… here's your chapter. :D Thanks for the review.

**Bubblez4ya:** I'm sorry for making it so depressing. I like your pen name by the way. It's really cute.

**HayLin4:** Hahaha. A yeti? Haha. I'm glad someone's chasing Sei around, hehe.

**Hanako Horigome:** Hahaha. I'm sorry…I guess this one is going to get you down again, huh? I don't know how I do it…maybe it's a gift. shrugs Thank you so much for the review though.

**DemonSaya:** Haha. I've never heard that one before…cat dung…hmmm. Hehe. Thanks for the review.

**One-Mean-Rabbit:** O.o A butter knife…ouch. …I want to help! I want Kagome to see his life too, hehe.

**craZhead191:** Aw, hehe, thanks so much. :)

**ScariMoi:** I hope that's a good nice…hehe…you sounded kind of unsure. But I guess I see where your coming from. It's a tad depressing. Hehe. Thanks for the review.

**Angel61991:** I think there's going to be around 4 or 5 more chapters…maybe…I'm not sure yet. Thanks for the support.

**Xianora: **gasp I want an internet shop by my house. No fair! Hehe. Wow…your review…it really meant something to me. It was just so…sweet. I don't know how to explain it. You really made me feel proud and loved. I almost cried because I felt so happy that someone look at my story that way. 3 Thanks so much. I promise not to let you down!

**Happy go Lucky:** Hehe…romance is hard to write. It's so embarrassing…I don't know how those writers who write really intimate scenes do it. Thanks for the reviews. Actually this story and Inuyasha's character is based off a friend of mine. So…our friends must be sort of similar. Anyways, I've never heard of Adam's Song…I'll have to check it out.

**Lonelylulaby:** Thanks so much to even send me a review while at the library, I really appreciate it. :D

**Enchanted Disaster: **hehehe, thanks. :D I like your pen name…sorry…random but I was just looking at it and thinking "wow that's creative." So anyways, thanks for the review.

**Luv,angel-muzik,baby:** OMG! YAY! Cookies and coffee! That's a double! I feel so honored…I'll have to make you something lovely next time when my brother isn't kicking me off the computer.

**Carol J:** Thanks for the review and the concern. It's really sweet of you. I actually have less homework this year so I think I'll be okay. Thanks though. :D

**Arbiter555:** I'm so sorry for making you sad. But, chin up! It'll get better soon, promise. :D

**Neonessa:** I didn't finish chapter 10? I'm so sorry for making you cry. :( I don't mean to. Thanks for the review. :D


	17. Alright

Disclaimer: Inuyasha does not belong to me.

A/N: I'm so sorry this is so late. My mum got in a car accident. She didn't get hurt, Thank God. But it did cause a lot of financial problems. So I'm so sorry, again.

I watched Edward Scissorhands the other day. 3 I'm in love with Johnny Depp and Tim Burton. blush tee hee.

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 17-**

**Bi Polar**

Izayoi woke up in a daze, then again, when did she not wake up in a daze? She sat up and rubbed her eyes which ached and pained when she opened them.

Where was Sei? Where was _her _Sei? Izayoi stood up shakily and stumbled to the couch. It took her awhile to gather enough strength to call out to her husband. "Sei! Sei dear, where are you?" There was no answer and she felt her heart tighten. She knew where he was. Out. That's what he use to say 'I'm going out, that's all; Jesus Christ back off!' She missed him. He was probably drinking in some brothel outside town. Knowing him, he wouldn't be back for awhile.

She forgave too fast, and forgot too easily. Izayoi reached for the television remote and turned it on. The TV, however, was not where it usually was and she started to panic; her sluggish mind coming to hasty conclusions. But she breathed an easy sigh when her tired eyes finally saw the old TV laying on its side on the floor. 'How did it get there?' she wondered momentarily, but quickly pushed the thought away and picked it up and put it back on its stand.

Izayoi was worn-out after that and collapsed back on the couch, turning to her soap opera channel. She felt ill. Whatever she ate last night, she felt it coming back up to say hello. She laid down on the couch and held a hand to her forehead.

Why did she do this? Every time things got hard, she went to the liquor cabinet. Her head was pounding and it only pounded harder when the doorbell rang. Izayoi moaned and sat up.

She opened the door a crack afraid the light would burn her alive. There on the doorstep stood a young raven haired girl, scowling. The girl looked up with big blue eyes and frowned.

"I don't want to buy it." Izayoi said harshly.

"I'm not selling anything." The girl said.

"Oh?"

"My stupid teacher said that I should come here and give that Inuyasha kid the homework he missed while he was gone."

"Who?" Izayoi's mind felt like it was going to explode from the pounding.

"Inuyasha…I'm guessing, your son."

"Um…I think you have the wrong house, little girl." Izayoi was going to close the door when the girl stopped her, looking almost desperate, but the look of anxiety was quickly replaced by a glower.

"No…I didn't get the wrong house. Inuyasha lives here, I know it."

"Look, kid. I don't care who you are or why the fuck you're here, but you need to get off my doorstep right now." Her patience was wearing thin, and all she wanted to do was lie down and sleep.

"My teacher will kill me if I don't give this to him. Look lady…please…" The blue eyed girl frowned and gave a pleading look.

Izayoi tapped her foot impatiently.

"Inuyasha lives here…I know he does."

She continued to tap.

"The boy that lives upstairs." Her words held an insistent note in them.

Izayoi stopped tapping and vaguely remembered something, it vanished just as fast as it had come and she began to tap her foot again.

"You know…the carnie…"

"Oh! The carnie! Jesus, girl, why didn't you say that sooner." Izayoi grabbed the book from Kagome's hands and slammed the door.

* * *

Kagome gave a sigh of relief and walked back to Miroku's car. She gave herself a mental pat on the back for her good acting job. Thank God it wasn't his father that had answered the door. She stepped inside the car, giving the two teenagers in the front seats a smile.

"Whew, I thought for sure she wasn't going to take it." Sango smiled widely at their achievement.

"I know. After what happened to us, I thought she was just going to slam the door in your face." Miroku added.

"Now all we have to do is wait." Kagome spoke with a wistful tone. She wondered if Inuyasha was okay. …If he still had hope, God she hoped he did.

"Did you see him?" Miroku asked softly.

Kagome sat in silence for awhile. "No…" Her voice shook slightly.

The other two didn't say anything.

* * *

It took some time for her to get up the stairs but she did. Izayoi opened the door to the weird kid's room and threw the book in the general direction of the bed. She heard a loud yelp of pain, but ignored it. "Some girl from your school came by and dropped off this book." She waited a short moment, becoming impatient. "Hey kid! Did you hear me!"

"…Yea…" A voice sounded from the shadowy room. She shut the door and stumbled down the stairs to return to her soap operas, and maybe the liquor cabinet.

* * *

Back in the dark room that she had just left, Inuyasha lied on the floor groaning from the new bruise that the book caused on his chest. He picked it up and set it down next to his head. It took him a moment to get enough strength to sit up; but slowly but surely he did.

He sat with his back against the bed wincing at the twinges of pain here and there. Gradually Inuyasha was able to take off his torn and bloody shirt, flinching all the way, trying to keep from crying. He looked down at his chest and arms.

His shoulder was the worst. The glass that was still sticking out, kept his shoulder from bleeding freely. But it had to be taken out, that was going to sting. A large black and blue bruise marred his pastel colored chest and a new one was forming from the text book. Inuyasha noticed cuts and bruises all up and down his arms as well.

He finally reached up to his head and softly massaged the several cuts he had received last night from the lamp. His eyes leaked with salty tears as a pang of pain trembled through his body. It wouldn't need stitching, but it hurt like hell.

Inuyasha got up and went to the bathroom across the hall. He knew his father would be gone; he always left when he was angry. At a snail's pace he got the first aid kit out and knelt in front of the bath tub.

First thing's first, he turned the water on and let the tub fill up. He didn't want to take a bath, too much work; all he wanted to do was clean up and fall asleep. The bath was halfway full and Inuyasha turned the faucet off. He rinsed his arms gently of all the dirt and dry blood.

Inuyasha groaned in reluctance, as he prepared himself to take out the 3 large pieces of glass. There would be a flood of blood when he pulled them out, he had done this enough times to know what would happen. 'One at a time, breathe and pull. One at a time, breathe and pull.' He chanted in his mind. His hands shook as he gripped the largest of the pieces, he thought on impulse and in little more than a second the piece was out and staining the floor. He had a towel pressed against the gapping slit where the glass used to be.

Breathing deep he calmed himself; trying to ignore the stinging. He cleaned the gash with water and peroxide, just as the nurses had done 5 year ago when he got stitches in his arm from falling down the stairs. Inuyasha picked up an almost empty container of dibucaine. He regretted not taking some from his last hospital visit. He rubbed a small glob of the ointment on and around the wound and felt a tingling sensation up and down his arm. It was only a small amount, but that would make all the difference. He would still feel it, but it wouldn't be quite so bad. (A/N: Dibucaine is an anesthetic agent that numbs the area where you put it.)

Still pressing the towel firmly against his bleeding shoulder he picked up the needle and absorbable sutures. He threaded the needle and thanked his lucky stars that he had snatched some of the absorbable thread from the hospital. They would break down to tissues and lose their strength within 60 days and he wouldn't have to go through the painful and time consuming task of removing all of the stitches individually.

Inuyasha slowly removed the blood soaked towel from his shoulder and stuck the needle into his bruised skin. He slammed his eyes shut and grimaced as he began to sew his sliced arm shut as if he would sew up a torn sock. His arm throbbed and stung by the time he finished the last of the wounds. He sat there for a while; trying to settle down.

Then came his head. He fingered the cuts, cringing every now and then. He took out the medical scissors and clipped his hair around the cuts, gently spreading the cortizone cream over the shallow gash. Inuyasha cleaned the rest of himself up rather quickly after that. Placing band aids and taped gauze where it needed to go. He felt slightly better walking back to his room. His head was clearer.

Inuyasha's room was as dark as ever, but he didn't turn on the lights. He didn't want to. He didn't have the urge to do anything at the moment. He sat in the same place he was laying only a couple hours before.

The book that his mother had thrown at him was still there. He picked it up and read the front. It was a science book but on the front, strangely enough, was a taped post-it. 'Meet me by the closest playground, 3 AM. I miss and love you.'

Inuyasha's heart pounded and he lost his breath completely. His eyes watered but he smiled. He began to chuckle, salty tears leaking into his mouth. And as he sat there in his dark, cold room, bandaged up, and crying happy tears he knew everything would be alright.

A/N: All done! Whew, I'm so sorry that this is late. Anyways, I wanted to thank all of you for reviewing…211! OMG!

**Whitewolf33: **Yea, I guess you're right. hehe. Thanks so much for the review and the input on the title.

**Kasandra:** Aw, Thanks. :D I'm still sorry this one took some time. Mum's car was pretty torn up. But thank God she's okay. Thanks so much for the support.

**One-Mean-Rabbit: **Haha. Use the spork! The spork! Those hurt really bad. :D Thanks for the review.

**Bubble4ya:** That's so cute, that you're called you that. That's lovely. Thanks for the review. :D

**Hanako Horigome: **Haha, that's funny. Is your friend okay?

**Lonelylulaby:** Thanks. :D You're so nice.

**!inu-laura:** Thanks for the review, and put in on the title. :D

**StaySee:** Thanks so much. You're review was really wonderful, it made me feel really great. :D I really don't know why I understand emotions so well…haha…I get asked that a lot. My friends say it's because I'm emo…and it probably is. Hehe. I'm sorry this chapter took awhile. I hope to see more reviews from you, you're really sweet.

**HayLin4:** Haha, and the funny thing is; he probably would kill the shrink. Thanks for the review.

**Inuyashabooklover5188:** Go ahead and kick the shit out of Sei. Hehe. Thanks for the comment.

**Avian Dincht:** Hehe, I love how you use the word 'tis. That's fantastic. :D Thanks.

**xKuriisux: **Thanks so much for the compliment and review. 3

**angel61991: **I'm sorry this took so long. I hope you forgive me. Thanks though.

**fanficluv7Inu:** Hehe, I'm not sure who Inuyasha is cussing at. But I promise that everything will get better…eventually.

**ScariMoi:** Aw, thanks for the review. It's really kind.

**Miss BinKy:** I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry…well I sort of did…but you know, not like purposely to make you feel horrible.

**Carol J:** Haha, that's so cool. :D My presentation went pretty good actually. My song was like 9 minutes long but it was awesome because, I mean, who doesn't like a song about a sailor that gets eaten by a whale. All my classmates liked it, but my teacher said it was crap. Whatever, he's just an idiot. Thanks though, for the review and everything.

**Alyanorne:** Umm…sort of…but you'll just have to find out. Thanks for the comment. :D

**TheyCallMeTaterSalad:** It's okay, I forgive you. Hehehe. But thank you so much for reviewing the last chapter.

**Xianora:** I'm sorry; I usually just keep my chapters short, so yea. I hope this one has more substance. With the view of Izayoi and a little notice on Miroku, Sango, and Kagome. Thanks for the review, it was really charming.

**Peoplekityo:** I'm sorry! Hey, I sent you an email. I hope it worked. I'll talk to you later, I hope. Thanks for the review.

**Creature of the light: **Yea, it really sucks when parents fight. It gets all…awkward. Thanks for the comment.

**Akina315: **You'll just have to find out, hehe. Thank you for the review.

**Amanda Trinh:** Evil bunnies chocolate? Hehe. You can go ahead and have the vodka…Inuyasha has got to stop. I keep telling him…but…you know, some people are just stubborn. Hehe. Thanks for the review.

**Mikomi the youkai:** I'm sorry. :( I didn't mean to make you sad. It'll get better though.

**Luv,angel-muzik,baby:** Haha, potato pizza? I've never heard of that. Thanks!

Please review!


	18. Hope

Disclaimer: I do not and probably will not own Inuyasha.

A/N: Firstly, thank you to all of you who reviewed. Okay, well, this chapter was difficult. I had a hell of a time getting started but this is it, and I hope you all like it. I wasn't sure on Kagome's mom's name, so I just copied what a lot of other fanfic authors put.

This story only has a few more chapters to go…maybe 3 or so. I'm going to take a little break afterwards, I need it, hehe. But I'm also working on my other story. I'm not going to post until after this one. It's called The Barrow Boy. Maybe I'll give the summery in the next chapter.

I think some of you were confused about Inuyasha. You see, Inuyasha isn't a half demon in this story; he has strange attributes but there's no special powers (I think I told you guys this in the 4th chapter or something). I'm sorry if you guys got confused. I just wanted to make it a little more realistic, you know.

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 18-Hope**

**Bi Polar**

Mrs. Higurashi sat in her bedroom. Just sitting there. Thinking every now and then but mostly just sitting. She wondered every now and then where Kagome was and what she was doing, but her motherly instinct told her that she was just fine.

Souta had left for school without saying a word about the silver haired boy that had shared a room with him. He didn't question where his sister was, the truth was, he didn't care right now. The young boy was too caught up in what he thought was going to last forever and really had only lasted little more than a week and a half. He pretended not to notice.

The phone had been ringing continuously and for awhile there she had been able to ignore it completely; but lately she couldn't help but get aggravated by the constant noise. Mrs. Higurashi clenched and unclenched her hands, and grinded her teeth together.

And then, suddenly, the woman stood from the bed and marched towards the telephone, picking up the receiver and proclaiming a loud irritated 'Hello.'

"Kasumi?" An elderly voice on the other end questioned.

"Dad?" Mrs. Higurashi sounded slightly ashamed for her former behavior.

"Did they catch him?" The older man sounded eager, almost excited.

"What?"

"Did they catch him? Oh, I knew something was wrong with him, from the minute I saw him; I could sense it. So as soon as I saw the news I called the police right up."

"You did what?"

"Called the police about that Inuyasha boy." He replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Mrs. Higurashi was silent, her heart pounding in disbelief.

"Kasumi? You there?"

"I can't believe you…" She said quietly into the phone.

"I know. I was quite proud when I called them up, like a good citizen." She could hear him smiling on the other end.

"No. No!" She became more and more angry as the news sunk in.

"What do you mean, dear? Are you okay?" He sounded somewhat concerned, but more so discouraged that she had interrupted him from his brilliant tale of bravery and heroism from the evil teenager they knew as Inuyasha.

"He didn't deserve to go back home, dad!"

"What are you talking about, Kasumi. You must be delusional, didn't you see the news?"

"Yes I saw the news! But you had no right to do that!" She was getting more upset by the minute that her adoptive son was taken from her.

"What do you mean I had no right to do it? You, and Kagome, and Souta are my family and I am looking out for you! I had every right to call the police on that punk!"

Mrs. Higurashi seethed with irritation. "Firstly, he is not a punk." She spoke with a deadly calm voice. "Second of all, you are not the only person in this family and I can't believe you decided _that_ without consulting the rest of us. You disgust me."

Her father faltered on the other line. "I…uh…"

"That's what I thought." Mrs. Higurashi spoke matter of factly before hanging up the phone. She took a deep breath and smiled proudly.

* * *

The dibucaine was wearing off and his arm was beginning to throb. He could feel the layers of pain pulsating, up and down, up and down. His mouth was dry, his eyes were burning, and his body was aching. Inuyasha sat in his cold room listening to faint noises of the television set downstairs.

Three AM…three AM. He was so excited but at the same time, nervous and unsure. He didn't know what to do anymore; he didn't dare leave home forever again. He had laid there for 9 hours now, only sleeping for short intervals. Thinking most of the time, thinking about what he should do, about what he shouldn't do…about Kagome.

He still held his leather bag close to him, never letting it out of arms reach. Her scent still clung to it; he buried his face in his backpack breathing steady. Only one hour to go and he be off to the park to see his Kagome. He smiled but stopped when his face began to hurt.

Inuyasha didn't know what occupied his thoughts for that hour he had laid there. It was a variety of things, strange dreams and even more bizarre memories; ones that no one expects to recall.

He remembered the time he and Sesshomaru went to the grocery store and stole some canned beans and that fleeting second when he left the store feeling guilt racking every inch of his body. And how Sesshomaru kept telling him that the sick feeling would be gone by tomorrow. Young Inuyasha was worried when the feeling lasted a week; he remembered crying because he couldn't be like his brother, because he couldn't forget.

Now he was too much like his brother. He looked and acted like him. There was only one difference. Inuyasha had hope.

* * *

Inuyasha opened and rubbed his eyes sleepily. He sat up slowly looking around trying to get his mind to function properly. Turning to look at the clock he forgot why it was so significant. He stared at the numbers for a long time trying to remember their importance. 3:28…he racked his brain over and over again trying to remember. Then the trigger in his brain was pulled and his heart twisted in his chest. He sat up quickly, slipped on his shoes and a sweatshirt, and opened his bedroom window.

He slid down the gutter, like he had always done and walked briskly to the park. His body was still sore, but all he thought of was Kagome. The park was just ahead and he could barely keep in his excitement. His heart was pounding; it felt like it could pop right out.

There she was; sitting on one of the rusty swing sets. His heart jumped. He stood behind the big toy watching the raven haired girl. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that someone like her should be caught up with someone like him. She looked so delicate so fragile and yet she possessed strength well beyond his own. Inuyasha heard Kagome sigh and she began to rise from her place and leave the playground.

"Wait." Inuyasha's voice surprised him, as well as her. Both hadn't been expecting it.

Kagome turned around and saw Inuyasha's dark figure in the moonlight. Without warning she ran up and threw her arms around him. He flinched and hissed at the sudden pressure on his various cuts and bruises. Kagome pulled back and looked at him. Her eyes studied him but she couldn't see him in the darkness. She pulled at Inuyasha's arm, dragging him underneath the street light.

Kagome lost her breathe, and tears tugged at her eyes. "What…?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. "What happened to you?"

He was a wreck, a walking wreck. His face was swollen up twice its regular size with bruises and cuts noticeable everywhere. She brought her soft hand up to his bruised face and bit her lip. "Your father hurt you, didn't he?" She was crying, knowing the answer already.

Inuyasha nodded and pulled the girl into a tight embrace. "Don't worry Kagome." He said reassuringly despite not believing it himself.

Kagome stained his sweatshirt with her tears and snot. She looked up wiping her nose with the backside of her hand. "You need to come home." She grabbed his hand and started to walk down the street but stopped when he didn't move along with her. "What's wrong?" She asked looking back at the amber eyed boy.

"I'm not going." He said quietly.

"What do you mean your not going?" She dropped his hand.

"I mean…I'm not going."

"I…I don't understand."

"I can't go back with you Kagome."

"Why not?" She sounded desperate.

"Because my parents won't leave me alone…they'll just keep coming after me." Inuyasha looked at her straight in the eyes.

"But…" Kagome was crying hard, tears cascading down her white cheeks.

"No Kagome. No." His voice was strong and sure.

"Inuyasha they'll kill you!"

"I've made it 12 years…I can make it a couple more months."

"A couple more months?"

"My eighteenth birthday is in December…only 7 more months and I'll be out of this place. I promise Kagome." Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's hand and held it up to his lips giving it tender kisses.

"7 months! That's too long Inuyasha!" Kagome took her hand back and held the boy around the waist.

"It's the only way. Well, the only way that won't come back and bite me in the ass later."

Kagome nodded slightly into his chest crying all the same. "I don't want you to stay here any longer." He could barely understand her but nodded and rubbed her back trying to comfort her.

"It's okay Kagome. It's okay." He said calmly.

"What did he do to you?" She asked softly.

He was quiet for a short time. He didn't want to taint her with horrible tales. "What he usually does, I guess." Oh, yea like that was any better than just telling her detail by detail.

She held in a sob and held onto his waist tightly. He hissed in pain and she stepped back with tears in her sapphire eyes. "It's just some cuts and bruises that's all." Inuyasha said reassuringly.

Kagome lifted Inuyasha's shirt up and he turned red with embarrassment. His pale skin was met with the cool air of the night and Kagome's warm fingers. She traced his bandaged cuts and large bruises and wiped her eyes with her other hand. "Oh Inuyasha, how could I have let this happen to you?" She whispered more to herself than to him.

Inuyasha pulled his shirt down and held her hand. "It's nothing Kagome."

She shook her head again. "What else did he do to you?"

"It's not that bad." He said avoiding her stare.

"Show me."

"Kagome…"

"Show me."

"Where are Miroku and Sango?" He 'discretely' tried to change the subject.

"They decided it would best if you and I were left alone. Show me Inuyasha!" She said again.

"Kagome…really…it's not that bad…"

"Now, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha glanced around the empty playground and took off his sweatshirt and T-shirt; allowing Kagome to see the stitches and bandages, that were bleeding gashes only hours before. Kagome gasped, holding a hand to her mouth. He threw his shirt and sweatshirt back on and held the grieving girl in his arms.

"How could anyone do something so horrible?" She sobbed.

Inuyasha shook his head, kissing Kagome's raven locks from time to time.

They parted early that morning. It was hard for both, but in 7 months, this would all be over; and the thought of that made Inuyasha look towards the future.

A/N: Thank you again to the reviewers, you're all brilliant. :D

**AnimeAngelz:** I know this is kind of a cliff hanger too; but there's not many more chapters to go. I hope you enjoy this chapter too.

**Whitewolf33:** Wow you put my thoughts into words. Hehe. Prisoner of his own home. Hmm. :D Thanks for the review.

**HayLin4:** Thank you so much for the concern. I'm so sorry about your car accident, it's a good thing no one was horribly hurt. That would have been awful. You're really very sweet. I was actually thinking about publishing something when I get older. My dad keeps bothering me about it. He's like "Raine! You could get a scholarship and then we could spend your college money on a vacation or something!" sigh I'm not sure yet, but thank you so much for the support.

**Inuyashabooklover5188:** Hehe, I hope you enjoyed Kagome and Inuyasha's meeting. :D

**Kasandra:** Aw, you're so sweet! Omg! I love you! Hehe. Thanks for the review.

**Inashosetai:** Thanks for the review. It was nice getting to talk to you again…even though it was just email. I hope to talk to you again later.

**Amber:** Thanks for your comment, it was really sweet. :)

**Bubblez4ya:** I really hope you like this! Miroku and Sango aren't so much in this one.

**Amanda Trinh:** Haha. :D You sound like you have fun though. That's lovely. Haha, you rain into a wall? And now you start seeing monkeys? Haha. I ran into a wall once…but it was in a haunted house, I had to go to the doctor because of a concussion. Haha. Thanks for the review.

**DamselofDoom:** Thank you very much for the compliment, it was very kind. I usually write AUs, of course, you'd never know that because I've only posted one. Haha. Thanks again.

**Lonelylulaby:** Oh thank you so much. I love you too! Hehe.

**B.D. Gerretson:** Thank you for the comment. There so nice to get. :D

**Mikomi the youkai:** Here you go, I'm sorry it's later than usual. I've been pretty busy. I hope you like it all the same.

**Sanctuaryofsolitude:** I love that word. "Toodles." It's a wonderful word. Thank you.

**Angelic lily:** :D Thank you! I want them to get arrested too. But I hardly ever know what's going to happen until I start to write the chapter. Hehe, thanks for the review.

**XoKayeBabyoX:** Just some random guy. Haha. There are a lot of desperate people out there. I hope to hear from you again. :)

**Peoplekityo:** Haha, you bet it's going to be okay:D

**Blacklillygurl:** Thanks for the review. They say that the hard things you go through only makes you stronger. :)

**Kasatka:** I'm sorry, that he can't get away. But…it only seems realistic that he would have to stay. But 7 months! I won't write about all those months though…haha…thank God, that would take forever.

**TheyCallMeTaterSalad:** I use to have AOL, I got rid of it. It was so crappy. I'm sorry about the lack of blood in there for you. I guess I just thought that it would get kind of redundant. But I'm sorry all the same.

**Akina315:** Oh you're review was so wonderful. I felt so happy that someone noticed that scene it took some research, so I had my nose in my mum's medical book all day. Haha.

**Inuyasha05:** The only person who can really handle this situation is himself. I hate to say that, but it's true. But no worries, he needs friends to back him up and he has some good ones. :D

**Luv,angel-muzik,baby:** Thanks for the concern. Thank you for the review and the pizza.

**Hanako Horigome:** She's a horrible mother, but that's why she's important. I'm glad your friend is doing well.

**Angel61991:** Thank you so much for being patient and for the reviews.

**Kagome-Kill-kikyou:** I'm sorry I made you cry, but it's getting better. Thanks.

**Xianora:** Nah, crying is good. We all need it every once in awhile. Thanks for the review.

**Akarikagome:** Thanks for the review. :D

**Anonymoussssssss:** Hehe, I'm glad you like it so much. Thanks.

**DemonSaya:** Hehe, that's okay. Thanks for the review. I've got like 89382043 people glomping Inuyasha, haha.

**Avian Dincht:** Haha, thanks for the review. It was really nice. I hope this wasn't too long of a wait.

**CrazyScorpio:** Aw thanks so much! You're so sweet. Hehe, I don't know about a movie deal, but that's a great idea. Haha. :D

**Arbiter555:** Haha, more angst? Okay. I left a review for all of you guys in my very first Author Note about Inuyasha's powers and all that jazz. So anyways, thanks for the review.

**Lily:** Thanks for the review, I'm happy you like it.

Review please, and thank you to all of you who did review.


	19. Of Angels and Angles

Disclaimer: I do not own _him_ or The Decemberists.

A/N: OMG! I'm so so so so sorry guys! I'M SO SORRY! I feel horribly guilty for not updating. Well, to clear my conscious (like always) I must tell you why it's so late. So last week and this week have been incredibly busy. Last week there were like a million gazillion tests. History, Algebra, Chemistry, and English. I had to study for hours; my God; it was hell. Then this week, even though it's only 4 days, has been really chaotic. There's a dance on Friday so I've been helping to decorate and such. Well my mum got her car fixed, so I haven't been able to get home on time. My sister came to visit as well, taking a break from college. We hung out all weekend, went to Seattle. I've also been planning to go to the Nutcracker with 15 others. Man, you never realize how hard it is to plan things until you're the one doing it.

Sorry I'm using lyrics again…I know it's kind of horrible. But I really like this song, and I'm in love with the band. I think they're my favorite now.

I think my writing has gotten worse. :(

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 19-Of Angels and Angles**

**Bi Polar**

Inuyasha Takashi had lost his sense of time. There were no more days or nights, just space. And he floated through it. He went to school and came home every evening. Sometimes he would sit outside of his brother's bedroom door and think. Inuyasha did not know why he acted the way he did. All he knew was that he was waiting. Waiting for the end and something better.

He had been surprised when his father left him relatively alone. Occasionally they would get in rows but none were as bad as the first night he had come back. All he could show from the small fights were some cuts and bruises, and once a sprained arm; but that was it.

Drool leaked from his open mouth; Pre Calculus had always been boring. His mind wandered through lands that his physical body couldn't take him. He wondered what day it was, but didn't have enough strength to ask someone. There were so many numbers on the board that it was hard to tell which ones were the date. He didn't care anymore. It was too much work caring.

The only thing that he cared about was back in Tokyo and probably wondering about him at the very same moment.

Miroku watched the amber eyed teenager from his desk. He had never been the same since he had gotten back; and Miroku seriously doubted that he would ever be the same way as the first time he had met him. He was worried. Sometimes Inuyasha would turn to him or Sango and ask him in a sluggish voice what day it was and then would hardly talk to them for the rest of the week.

The bell rang and the students picked up their bags and left the class hastily. Inuyasha didn't move. Miroku stood up slowly and picked up his bag. He stood over his friend for a few minutes waiting to see if Inuyasha would notice him, but the boy continued to sit in a daze. The raven haired boy cleared his throat loudly, still waiting; but Inuyasha didn't flinch.

"Is he alright?" The teacher asked from her desk.

"Yea, he'll be fine; just too many numbers." Miroku said with a small smile.

He tapped Inuyasha on his shoulder and cleared his throat again. The sitting boy made no sign of feeling or hearing the other.

"Umm…Inuyasha?" Miroku bent down and kneeled down next to him. He still didn't move. "Inuyasha!" He spoke louder.

Inuyasha flinched and flung around facing his friend. "What?" He spoke in a whisper. "What are you doing here?"

"Inuyasha we're in school right now." Miroku lowered his voice to match Inuyasha's making sure that the teacher didn't overhear anything.

"Oh…oh yes." The confused boy stood up shakily and threw his backpack over his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Miroku was cautious with his words.

"Yes. I'm fine." He spoke curtly, not wanting to go much further into it.

"Sango and I have been worried about you Yash."

"Don't be. There's nothing to worry about." His voice wasn't his own; it was cold and prompt.

"You've been…out of it."

"Have I?"

"Yes."

Miroku and Inuyasha made their way to the cafeteria where Sango was waiting for them. Inuyasha didn't want to talk anymore, there was scarcely a time when he did want to talk. Miroku frowned when his friend didn't reply; but he didn't push it.

They ate lunch in near silence only speaking a few words here and there. Sango and Miroku exchanged worried glances while Inuyasha shoveled rice into his mouth. Sango let him have it; she was too troubled to eat.

"What's the date?" Inuyasha spoke into his rice.

"November seventeenth." Sango answered softly.

"Oh."

"Only 2 more months then Yash." Miroku said trying to bring the boy's spirits up. "You excited?"

"I guess."

"You guess?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

"If you're asking me if I miss her, the answer is yes." Inuyasha said smoothly.

"Oh…" Miroku whispered.

Nothing else was said. Inuyasha stopped eating after that; pushing his food around with his chopsticks.

* * *

There are times in everyone's life where nothing seems to go right. That no matter what you do, it isn't enough. Kagome felt like that. She felt completely useless. Inuyasha needed her and here she was back at home comfortable and safe.

Kagome sat in her living room; curled up on the couch with a blanket and a warm cup of tea. Mom and Souta were gone to his soccer game. She didn't want to go; she had no real urge to go anywhere right now.

Inuyasha looked so awful when she saw him last. Not just physically but his eyes, they were void of all hope. She took another sip of her tea and bit her bottom lip thinking of the silver headed boy she had come to love. Her eyes stung with salty tears and she shook quietly with silent sobs.

She wiped her eyes daintily and set her cup down on the end table, getting up to take a long walk to the park. She needed to sit where he had sat and cry a tad bit more. Then she'd feel a little bit better and be able to make it for another week before she would have to repeat the whole process over again.

* * *

Inuyasha was sitting in his parent's room messing with their old boom box. Miroku had lent him a CD, since all of his were taken when he was mugged.

"This God damn piece of shit." Inuyasha muttered hitting the piece of junk over and over again.

His mom was downstairs drinking as usual and his father, well he was "out" again. Inuyasha didn't care where, just that he was gone. He finally had the CD player working, the volume was on low so he wouldn't disturb his mother and so he would hear if anything was coming.

The Decemberists are wonderful, and he decided that within the first 30 seconds. He was on the last song now.

_There are angels in your angles  
There's a low moon caught in your tangles  
There's a ticking at the sill  
There's a purr of a pigeon to break the still of day_

_As on we go drowning  
Down we go away  
And darling, we go a-drowning  
Down we go away  
Away _

There's a tough word on your crossword  
There's a bed bug nipping a finger  
There's a swallow, there's a calm  
Here's a hand to lay on your open palm today

As on we go drowning  
Down we go away  
And darling, we go a-drowning  
Down we go away  
Away

There are angels in your angles  
There's a low moon caught in your tangles

Kagome had angels in her angles. She was a living angel now that he thought about it. He smiled. He was laying on the floor with the blinds shut and the lights turned off. The CD stopped but he didn't move. It was so calm. He was calm for the first time in a long time. He wasn't going to move, he was going to enjoy this.

It must have been at least 3 hours later when he heard the front door open and slam shut. He bolted upright and took a sharp intake of breath. He slammed his fist into the boom box which opened the lid, and grabbed Miroku's CD. He ran to the door and threw it open running quietly and jumping over the places where he knew the floor would creak. He opened his door, locked it, and went to his usual corner.

His heart was pounding. He wanted to throw up or pass out; he didn't know which one sounded more appealing right now.

And then, oddly enough, Inuyasha with his heart pattering rapidly in his chest, began to hum "Of Angels and Angles" slowly and softly.

A/N: Once again, I apologize for my lateness. Much thanks to my super fantastic reviewers, because I love you all. :D

**HayLin4:** Hehe, thanks! I'm so glad you like the story so much. :D Thanks again.

**Hanoi:** Wow, thanks so much for that. I have no idea about Japanese law. Hehe. But thanks for informing me. Just wondering, but how do you know so much about it? Let's just pretend that Japan is going by American law for…like 2 years or whatever. Hehehe. Thanks again:D

**Avian Dincht:** Hehe, thanks for the review. I'm sorry this chapter took so long to update.

**Bubblez4ya: **Hehe, thanks for the comment.

**Hanako Horigome:** Thanks! I really wasn't going to even have Grandpa Higurashi in this chapter but I needed a way to explain Inuyasha getting taken away and since Grandpa already seemed like an ass I just went for the gold. Thanks again.

**TheyCallMeTaterSalad:** Hahaha, I get it, I get it. More blood. But it really gets almost redundant. I'm sorry to tell you that I don't think you'll be my sex slave anytime soon. I'm more of the happy ending type of gal. I'm sorry. I hope you aren't discouraged.

**Blacklillygurl: **Hehe, I'm sorry. I try to make my chapters long but I'm never able to quite get there. Thanks for the comment.

**AwaK3 inxth3 Forgott3n Snow:** I'm sorry, but I don't think I got your entire review. All I got was "I" so I'm not sure if that was on purpose or accident, but thanks for the review anyway. Hehe. :D

**Inashosetai:** Hehe. I 3 your reviews. They're so nice and encouraging. There's so many stories out there where the authors don't care how it looks or anything, I hate that because I think they should pay at least a little attention to how their audience perceives them. Just curious, but what scenes did you draw? Thanks for the review and it was lovely talking to you awhile ago, even though it wasn't for very long.

**Whitewolf33:** Maybe, but I really haven't decided yet. Hehe. Thanks for the review.

**Akina315:** Haha, I'm sorry this is late. But I assure you that I won't take seven months to write. Hehe. Thanks for the comment.

**Darkmoonxl7:** Hehe, I'm glad you like it. Thanks.

**Element Alchemist08:** Thanks so much for the comment. It made me feel so proud. :D

**StaySee:** Hehe, aw! That's so nice. I'm honored. :D Thanks so so much. 3

**King-shippo:** Thanks for the review.

**Lonelylulaby: **Hehe, yea he is kind of, huh? Hehe. Thanks.

**Angelic lily:** Thanks for the comment.

**Sleepyj:** Thanks so much. :D

**Kasandra:** I'm sorry this is so late. I have my guilt face on right now. Hope you liked this chapter. Thanks for the review.

**Creature of the light:** My mum is back in college studying medicine so I went through her entire medical dictionary looking for the right terms. Hehe. It was so sweet of you to worry about my friend. Thanks a lot. He's doing…okay I guess. He's going through a hard time because he just moved away from all his friends, but I think he'll be fine. Thanks again.

**Angel61991:** Thanks for the review.

**Xianora:** Hehe, yea I do. I never thought I'd have the courage to write a fanfic, but here I am. Kagome only stayed in Kofu for one day. Yea, her mom is pretty awesome. She reminds me of my mum. :D About the other story. Hehe, yea it's going to be another Inu/Kag story. I hope you enjoy it as much as this one. When I put it on the internet, I mean.

**AnimeAngelz:** Oh thanks so much. You don't think my writing has gotten worse? Because I really think it has. I'm kind of embarrassed by it.

**God:** It reminds you of others around you? Hmmm, I don't know if you know this, but Inuyasha is based off a friend of mine. I'm not sure what you mean by the ripper's gravesite though.

**Kohara InuYashafan Takahashi: **Aw! I don't mind if you cuddle with Inuyasha, he probably needs the support; being in such a bad situation. Thanks for the review.

**PeopleKityo: **Relax, relax! Take a deep breathe. Don't worry, it'll get better soon.

Review Please!


	20. Like This

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the other characters.

A/N: I apologize, like always, for not updating sooner. I had a bit of trouble with this chapter. I was debating whether or not to put Inuyasha in it, but I think I'm going to leave him out and dedicate the whole next chapter to him.

But, other than that…I guess I've just been having a hard time in general. Some of my friends are going through some hard times and I had to abandon this chapter to help them out. Sorry guys.

I SAW HARRY POTTER! OMG! Hehe, I went on the premiere, I'm such a nerd. It was really well done, I thought.

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 20-Like This**

**Bi Polar**

He felt betrayed …more than betrayed…he felt abandoned. A forgotten toy, that's what he was. Just a forgotten toy.

Souta pulled at his backpack straps and walked down the street which was flooded with melted snow. He bit his lip trying to drown out everything rushing around in his jumbled mess of a mind. He kept his eyes on the ground making sure that he jumped the puddles of sludge. His mom would wring his neck if he got his new pants dirty.

Nothing seemed to satisfy him lately. It was like no matter where he went or what he did, the only thing he wanted was everything to be back to what it was like before.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

The front door was unlocked, thankfully. Kagome sat on the couch, motionless. He hated seeing her like this. It was pathetic.

It was _his_ entire fault too.

Souta ignored his sister's 'hello' and went upstairs to his room. He threw his backpack on the floor and climbed up his bunk bed to lie down. His eyes watered but he held back the tears determinedly.

Why did he care so much? It wasn't like he was_ that_ important. He was just a boy, just a boy that came to stay with them for awhile. He was just a boy, just the boy that changed Souta's life.

His mother told him that Inuyasha was having family problems and that he had to go back home. Souta wasn't stupid. Inuyasha didn't want to go home, anyone could see that. It wasn't an excuse; he lied. He said he wouldn't be leaving anytime soon but he left and Souta hated the fact that he was left all alone again. Without a father, without a grandfather, and without a big brother.

So here he was; useless and alone in the very same bedroom where that very _unimportant_ boy had slept. His mother was calling for him, but he didn't feel like moving.

Dinner lately was painful. They would sit down, eat quietly, and in one way or another Kagome would break down in tears and run upstairs. She seemed to be doing that almost every night, and he despised it.

"Souta!" Mrs. Higurashi called up the stairs impatiently.

He still ignored her still.

"Souta Higurashi!" She called again. "Get down here right now, young man!"

Souta sighed quietly knowing that if he ignored her any longer he'd be pushing it. He got up and opened his door quietly.

"Coming mom." He called.

Souta sat down at the kitchen table, his sister was already there; wrapped up in a blanket and pushing her food around on her plate. He sighed powerfully, preparing himself for another evening of melancholy.

"Well…how was your day Souta?" Mrs. Higurashi asked politely from across the table.

"Fine." He answered softly.

"How about yours Kagome?"

Kagome didn't answer, fearing that she would break down in one of her nightly cries.

"Kagome?"

Souta bit his lip getting ready for the waterworks.

"It…it was fine." She said gently, but her azure eyes glazed over with unshed tears and she pushed her plate away. "Mom…I'm not hungry. Can I go upstairs?" She didn't look up, ashamed for weakness.

Mrs. Higurashi frowned but nodded. "Yes…go ahead Kagome. I'll save you some leftovers so you can have some later, if you feel like it."

"Okay." Kagome pushed her chair back, making a screeching sound against the wood floor. She left the room, her mother and brother staring at her retreating figure with furrowed brows and worried thoughts.

* * *

Kagome sat on her bed wiping her eyes delicately. "Things aren't suppose to end up like this." She whispered to herself.

She wondered what he looked like right now. If he was free of bruises or covered with them.

Every night it was the same thing. She'd close her eyes to sleep and there he was lying on the floor bleeding. She could see him in her mind's eye and it scared her.

Kagome lied down, closed her eyes, and hoped for a peaceful night's sleep; but it didn't come. It seemed like it would never come.

_There he was in her mind. She could see him perfectly; his messy silver locks and void golden eyes. He was so thin; she could practically see his ribs through his thin layer of clothing. There were dark circles under his eyes; and she could tell that he hadn't slept in days. _

_He was standing in the middle of a white vacant room. It was blindingly white, and it gave off the feel that it would almost hurt one's eyes to stand in there for a long period of time. Yet, Inuyasha stood without moving, without feeling, without thinking. _

_There was a violent shake in the room but Inuyasha didn't budge. Kagome watched anxiously. A door opened from one of the pallid walls, and she shook with anticipation. A man stepped out, and she recognized him instantly as Inuyasha's father. _

_He walked up to the motionless boy, smiling snidely, he reached out and grabbed a hold of his son's chin and glared angrily into his eyes. The drunken mess of a man lifted his hand above the golden eyed boy's head and brought it down violently on his pale cheek. Inuyasha fell with a loud crash on the floor. His lip was bruised and bleeding, staining the perfectly white floor._

_Inuyasha still lied there, not moving, not even bringing a hand to his wounded face. Kagome felt her heart wring with sickness but she couldn't move, she was glued to her spot, all she could do was watch hopelessly. _

_The older man walked around the unmoving body of his son expecting the boy to do something of importance; but he didn't move. Inuyasha's eyes were wide open staring ahead. His father watched frustratingly and in his desperation he brought his large booted foot down on the silver headed teenager's stomach. Inuyasha spurted blood from his mouth but gave no signs of pain. _

_Blood now tarnished the white pristine floor, red was everywhere. Her eyes prickled with tears she refused to let fall. Inuyasha stared straight ahead…straight at her. His eyes changed for one second and she gasped. For that one second he looked hopeful…he looked at peace. _

Kagome sat up in her bed and wiped her cheeks free from tears. There was nothing she could do but wait, it hurt, but that's what she needed to do; she needed to trust him.

There was nothing she could do.

* * *

"Sango, we can only wait!"

"Wait! Wait! Wait until when, Miroku? Wait until he's dead?" Sango paced Miroku's room, he watched from his bed.

"We have to trust him. He's not a little kid, Sango. He can handle things on his own."

"Everyone needs help once in awhile Miroku. I think now is the time for Inuyasha." She stopped her pacing to stare at the boy sitting on the bed, wringing her hands together nervously.

"He just has to wait 2 more weeks and he's gone Sango. He out of here… he's safe…"

"I know…but…it just seems like every time we seem him he looks worse and worse." This was true. He was unbearably skinny, the visible bruises were getting bigger and uglier. The silver haired teenager, however, seemed not to notice any of this.

"I know San, but it's only a matter of time." Miroku tried his best to sound calming and confident.

"I hope your right…I hope he's okay." Sango walked over and sat on the bed.

"He will be. I know it." Miroku put his arm around Sango's shoulder; Sango in turn eyed him wearily.

He put his hands up shaking his head. "Don't worry, not this time. Too serious of a situation." He grinned lightly.

"Okay…just making sure." Sango gave a weak smile before leaning over and giving Miroku a small peck on the cheek. "That's for being such a good guy."

Miroku blushed lightly but his devilish smile hid it. "Oh, I think I deserve more that that." He said charmingly.

"Don't push it mister." She shook her finger in front of his nose.

"Oh come one Sango." He gave her puppy dog eyes and stuck his lower lip out pitifully.

Sango gave a small smile and leaned forward. Miroku mentally jumped for joy. "So…you want a kiss?" Sango asked gently.

Miroku nodded vigorously waiting expectantly. Sango continued to bring herself closer and closer to his face.

"Close your eyes." She whispered. He did so happily. Sango waited for a moment building up the anticipation before putting a palm to his chest and pushing him roughly off the bed. Miroku's eyes flew open in disbelief; he hit the ground with a thunderous thump.

Sango laughed loudly. "You should have known better Miroku."

Miroku didn't answer. He gasped for breath and writhed on the ground. Sango's heart dropped and she leapt off the bed and kneeled down next to him.

"Miroku? Miroku, this isn't funny." She said seriously, worry tinting her voice.

Miroku continued to thrash about on his bedroom floor, wheezing for breath.

"Miroku!"

Miroku stopped moving, he stopped struggling for breath, he stopped breathing all together. Sango sat there, her eyes wide and her heart pounding against her rib cage.

"Miroku?" She leaned down, staring at his face and into his wide vacant eyes. "Miroku? Come on, I don't want to play anymore." She could feel her eyes stinging.

Miroku lied there, trying desperately to hold in his sniggers. Now, would be the perfect time. She was on the verge of tears, yeah this was perfect. With one fluid movement Miroku swept up and caught Sango's trembling lips with his. He smiled against them.

Sango gasped and stared at Miroku's face. He had his eyes closed and she felt a little stupid sitting there with her's wide open. She closed them and leaned into his warmth.

The boy was taken back, he never expected her to enjoy it. He thought she was going to slap him, like she always did. It was a wonderful thing. Miroku brought his hand up to her face and wiped away some of the tears that she had shed in fear.

She pulled back and stared at him, his hand still on her cheek. Sango glared angrily and took his face in her hands. "Don't you ever do that again you bastard!" She whispered fiercely. He nodded quietly but smiled when she wrapped her arms around him and snuggled against his neck.

They would stay like this; they would stay like this as long as they possibly could.

A/N: Hehe… 3 306 reviews…my goodness, that's just lovely. Thank you all of you, I think you're some of the most fabulous people I've ever had the chance to meet.

**Peoplekityo:** Hehe, there's enough Inuyasha to go around. Go ahead and hug him all you want, he's probably enjoying all the attention.

**Kasandra:** Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter as much as the last one.

**Avian Dincht:** Hehe, well, I put some Sango/Miroku fluff; but no Inuyasha/Kagome fluff quite yet.

**DemonSaya:** Haha. I 3 your reviews. Thank you so much.

**Blacklillygurl:** Thank you, I tried my hardest to try and develop some of my own personalities for the characters, did I do it alright?

**Lonelylulaby:** Thanks for going through all the trouble to review even though you're at the library.

**Inahosetai:** I wish we could talk sometime too; but I agree, school is a little too hectic right now. Those are lovely scenes, thanks so much for drawing them, it was such an honor. :D I hope you liked this chapter. Inuyasha will show up in the next one, I just thought we needed a little break from him at home. Anyways, thanks for the review.

**Whitewolf33:** Hehe, don't worry, don't worry; things will get better. No worries. Thanks for the review.

**Inuyashasgirl1517:** Haha, well, then you'd be stealing him away from seeing Kagome. Hehe, thanks for the comment.

**Kitasha:** Thank you for the compliment, I hope you enjoyed the fluff.

**Hanako Horigome:** Haha, no need to beat around the bush; my fic is pretty gloomy. But thanks for the comment; it was really nice. :D

**Angelic lily:** Haha, yea. They'll get together, don't worry. Thanks for the comment.

**SeeC:** Hehe, that's awesome! I bet it looks so cute! I'm so sorry about your mom and the girl at your school. I truly, truly, am. I hope everything works out for the best for both of them. Thanks for the review.

**AnimeAngelz:** Thank you so much. You're a wonderful person.

**Ya1ya:** I know. It's hard to believe a parent would do that to their child…but it happens. Thanks for the review.

**Enchanted Disaster:** Yea, it's a lovely song. Kagome and Inuyasha are going to get together soon, don't worry. Thanks.

**Amber:** Thank you for the reviews, they're always short and sweet; it's really nice.

**Amanda Trinh: **Oh thank you so much for your reviews; they're really fun to get. No, I didn't bleed when I ran into the wall; but I had to go the doctors. Hehe, I'm the exact opposite, I'm hardly ever hyper. :D Now, it's only 2 more weeks. I'm excited to finish this story up. I think I'm going to go out for ice cream in celebration. Hehe thank you for the monies. Thanks again for the review.

**TheyCallMeTaterSalad: **Look, I don't mean to be rude, but there are plenty of other stories out there with blood and gore and dark endings. Mine just isn't one of them. I'm completely open to ideas, but what you have to understand is that I might not take them. I tried to add a little bit of blood here, but I just don't think it's fair for you to tell me I'm getting worse when you're not the one writing it.

**Xianora:** Yea, the song is really beautiful. Thanks so much for the support.

**Angel61991:** Thank you for the review, I hope this wasn't too late in updating.

**Creature of the light:** I hate it too. It's horrible that you were verbally abused, I'm so sorry. No, you don't offend us. In fact I think it's one of the nicest things anyone can do. You're a good person, thanks from both of us.

**Tahitianbabe:** Thank you for the comment.

**Bubblez4ya:** Thank you for the review. :D

**Auxana:** You should, it's a really good song. The band is wonderful. I 3 them so much. Hehe. Thank you.

**Hazumi:** I hope that this chapter kind of explained it. But if not, it's sort of a trust issue. They don't want to do things for Inuyasha; it kind of lowers his self worth. They want him to solve his own problems. Thank you for the review.

**Luv,angel-muzik,baby:** I hadn't heard from you so I thought something had happened. But thank goodness. Hehe, I did miss your humor. Thank you for the cookies. :D

**GiantMutantCoconuts:** Hehe, thank you!

**KInasha14:** Hehe, I don't like the sun either. Seattle is nice; it's great fun. Hehe, yea; romantic writing is hard. I hope I did okay with Sango and Miroku. I'm sorry I made you cry. I didn't know that lavender meant that, that's wonderful. Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for the review.

Please review!


	21. The Worst is Over

Disclaimer: I think you all know that I don't own Inuyasha.

A/N:D Sorry this took me so long but I'm having a dreadful time trying to finish this up. -Sigh- but probably only a chapter or so left.

Well I redid my profile. Check it out because I put some lyrics to a really snazzy song on there.

Oh and I joined a band. We're debating between being called Cinders for Smiles or Impalers of Whalers. :D What do you guys think?

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 21-The Worst is Over**

**Bi Polar**

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year had come and gone and had made no impact on Inuyasha once so ever. Now it was Groundhog's Day and he was sitting in front of the television watching the movie about the holiday where the small town of Punxsutawney gathered around a small rodent to see whether it would be cold for another 6 months.

He liked this holiday even though it was completely pointless. It meant that there were only three more days until his birthday. The thought had finally dawned on him early this morning when he checked his calendar.

The movie had ended, and he frowned. What was there to do now? He sighed and lifted himself up from the floor to head upstairs and into his small dark bedroom. Maybe he would take a nap. He was sure that he could find something to do up there.

'Three days, three days, just three more.' He chanted over and over again in his mind.

Recently, late at night Sango and Miroku would meet him at the park where they would spend hours talking and planning for the future. He would smile knowingly and thanked the heavens for his two good friends.

They promised to wait for him by the park on his birthday in Miroku's old car; he made them swear on the graves of their ancestors that they would not come anywhere near his house and they agreed. He would get out; he would get out and leave this joke of a home.

Inuyasha was in his room, and nothing there looked appealing. So he laid down in his usual place on the floor and closed his eyes, hoping that everything would go as well as possible.

* * *

When he woke the next morning it was so frightfully cold that he felt like he could feel his toes gathering ice. He slowing brought himself up to a sitting position and rubbed his feet with his slightly warmer hands. Inuyasha snatched the dirty, moldy blanket from his bed and wrapped it around his thin frame. 

'Only two more days, only two more days, only two more days.' He chanted in his head. He let out an almost relieved sigh, but it wasn't over it yet.

He had school today, but didn't feel like going. He didn't really feel like doing anything lately; but Inuyasha knew that if he didn't go Sango and Miroku would worry and he didn't want to cause anymore problems than he already had with the two of them. Thanks to him they were missing quite a bit of work in all six of their classes and were failing two of them because of it.

He felt guilty for not caring about school because after all the hard work Sango and Miroku put in to find him, he didn't even have enough determination to sit through one more day of it for their sake. He knew how much they worried over them; he could see it in their eyes and the way they talked to him. He loved them for that.

Inuyasha didn't bother changing for hi classes he just grabbed his backpack and left the house glancing into the kitchen searching for his father or mother. There was his mom, drinking again. She waved and beckoned him in; he shook his head and left the room. His father hadn't been home for 3 days. It didn't matter, he'd be home soon enough; might as well enjoy the peace while he could.

School was…well…school. For the past seven months people were giving him strange questioning glances and some even dared to come up and ask him about his big debut on the six o'clock news. He didn't answer most of them but sometimes when Miroku felt like the brown-noser had gone too far he would tell him or her to piss off which Inuyasha was very thankful for.

Declining a ride home from Miroku Inuyasha opted for a nice walk through the neighborhood. 'But don't take too long.' He reminded himself. 'If dad comes home and finds you're out and about you'll be nothing but ashes in the morning.' It was cold, cold as ever and he zipped up all 3 of his coats.

The inside of his house did not offer any warmth and he shivered as he closed the front door. He ran upstairs threw his backpack aside and took up his old withered blanket to wrap it around his shoulders, still keeping his jackets on as well.

He wondered if Groundhog Day was still on but threw the thought away when he heard the front door slam shut. 'Dad's home.' He thought grimly. He was walking to his door and locking it making sure that it was secure before curling himself up on the ground and closing his eyes again.

* * *

'One more day and I'm out of here, one more day and I'm out of here, one more day and I'm out of here.' This was his chant for today. He knew he could probably get away with leaving today…well…he would have been able to. But his father was home and that meant that he was going no where anytime soon. 

That didn't stop him from packing. He took his ratty leather bag out and laid it out on his bed putting whatever he thought he would need inside of it. Inuyasha's stomach gurgled and growled the whole time he packed and 2 hours later he finally listened to it and left his room.

His father was watching a soccer game on the television, an ice cold brewskie in his hand. Inuyasha knelt down and crawled quietly behind the couch biting his lip and praying to God that his father would not notice.

Inuyasha was safely in the kitchen now and was making himself a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich with expired jam and stale bread. He was content.

When he finished he crawled stealthily back up the stairs. He stood there at the top of the staircase afterwards staring at the door which hadn't been opened in over four years. He wouldn't be coming back to this house…it was his last chance.

Inuyasha walked cautiously to his brother's bedroom door. He looked back behind his shoulder as if he was expecting to see some sign posted up warning him not to go inside. But nothing was there, nothing was keeping him from opening the door, nothing was keeping him from going inside.

The door was so old and unused that it creaked loudly when he opened it. He cringed and waited for a moment to see if his father heard it over the soccer game. Inuyasha continued to push it open and gaped at the room before him, a room that hadn't been viewed in years. He had forgotten how much he loved his brother's room.

He loved everything in there…except the ceiling fan…he had the sudden urge to tear it down and throw it to the ground. That wretched wooden fan, where he had found his brother swinging, swinging back and forth, back and forth. He took the blanket he was wearing off and threw it up over the fan. There…that was much better.

Inuyasha sat down on his brother's bed and pulled the comforter around him. It smelt of Sesshomaru, and he felt his eyes water. Near the one window the room had there sat a desk, the desk where Sesshomaru would sit and do his homework when Inuyasha was too afraid to be alone. And how his older brother would look at him and sigh and tell him he was being stupid and that there was nothing to be afraid of, that soon they would both be safe. And how they would escape together and live in a large house with big windows to let the sunlight in.

And how Inuyasha held onto those dreams like life lines when he was younger.

"There's nothing to be afraid of…" Inuyasha whispered to himself, closing his eyes and clutching the blanket to him.

The sun was setting when Inuyasha got up off the bed. He had gone through his brother's bedroom without guilt or panic. After all there was nothing to fear. Inuyasha looked through his brother's old clothes, CDs, and possessions and took what he remembered. They would keep his belongings company at the bottom of his leather bag, the leather bag his brother gave him one year for his birthday.

Inuyasha took his brother's blanket and left his covering the ceiling fan in the old unused room. He took one last look and closed the door behind him. There would be no more regret.

* * *

Today was the day. There was no need for a chant. He knew today was it. There was only one more thing he wanted to get. Only one more thing and he could leave and see his Kagome. But he had to be careful if he wanted it. 

He grabbed his bag and left his room. Standing in the hallway he listened very carefully, trying to decipher where his father might be. There was no sound throughout the entire house. This made him more nervous than ever but he gathered up his courage and marched down the hallway into his parent's bedroom. He opened the door only a little bit and peeked through it. No one was there and he let out the breath he had been holding.

It was in the closet, well, it was last time he had seen it. There were boxes everywhere, boxes that had been neglected to be unpacked when his father and mother had first moved here. He opened all of them one by one and near the very end he stopped at stared down at the treasure he had been seeking.

There in the box lay an old Polaroid camera with several pictures of him and his brother. He smiled down at it and let a few stray tears fall down his cheeks. But there was no time to waste and he took the camera and pictures and tucked them safely into his backpack which was filled to the brim with other memories.

Inuyasha had left his parents room and was walking down the creaky staircase when he froze in his tracks. His chest physically hurt, it felt like something was slowly slicing his heart to pieces. This couldn't be happening.

Inuyasha's father's voice rang throughout the empty hallways of the house.

"Rock a bye baby,

On the tree top

When the wind blows,

The cradle will rock" His voice was low and filled with venom.

He remembered this song, every child knew it, but Inuyasha remembered when his father had "sung" it to them when they were younger.

_They had only wanted to see if would work. Hardly any of the film was gone and it's not like he used it anyway. _

"_Oh boys, where are you?" Sei called out sweetly. _

_Inuyasha clung to his older brother whimpering with dread. Sesshomaru stood there waiting for it. He didn't cry like his younger brother, and he wouldn't. Inuyasha's eyes were flowing with silent tears and his leapt with terror when he heard his father climb the stairs._

"_I see you two had some fun with my camera."_

_They only wanted to see if worked, they only wanted to see!_

"_Well, that's not a toy, my dear little boys." Inuyasha shook harder and harder and Sesshomaru pushed his brother behind him in their father's closet where they were hidden. They weren't expecting him home, they weren't expecting him to find out about them using the camera. But he did, how could he not? The pictures lay strewn out across the living room floor for viewing pleasure. _

"_Oh my dear, dear sweethearts, why, oh why, did you have to play with daddy's toy?" His voice was laced with hidden malice but sugared up to sound like a child playing hide-and-go-seek. Inuyasha slid down the wall and held his knees to his chest, rocking back and forth, crying quietly. Sesshomaru stood in front of him, waiting patiently for them to be found. _

"_Oh I've got a brilliant idea children, let's sing a song. I'm sure you know this one." He called throughout the house. _

"_Rock a bye baby…" His singing was chilling and just when Sesshomaru thought his brother couldn't cry any harder he was proved wrong and Inuyasha was wracked with uncontrollable sobs that were much worse than before. _

_Sesshomaru turned around to comfort his younger brother. "There's nothing to fear Inuyasha." But as he said this Sei's disturbing singing became louder and louder. _

"_When the bow breaks_

_The cradle will fall…AHA! Gottcha!" Sei threw the closet door open and Sesshomaru turned to face him while Inuyasha rocked back and forth, back and forth. _

"And down will come baby

Cradle and all…" Sei finished in a deep whispered, he knew Inuyasha was there. He sat in the same chair that he was in when he greeted Inuyasha the night he had returned from Kagome's house seven months ago.

He turned to greet his son with empty eyes. "Going somewhere?"

Inuyasha took a deep breath trying to regain his senses. "I'm going home." He answered curtly.

"I don't think so."

"And why not?" Inuyasha's anger was slowly rising. He wanted out.

"Because the first thing you do when you get 'home' is to go to the police." He said "home" mockingly while he stared at the golden eyed teenager.

"…yes." Inuyasha wasn't going to deny that fact.

"Too much trouble to go through." He said as he got up off his worn in chair.

"I just want to leave." Inuyasha moved away but stepped right back as a glass bottle shattered against the front door spraying glass pieces all over the room. Inuyasha turned his back to it closing his eyes wishing all of it to go away and to return to Kagome's. He was so close but he just couldn't escape.

"No." Sei laughed at his son, who looked so broken standing there with a desperate look on his face.

Inuyasha, suddenly, clenched his teeth together and put his backpack down on the stairs. "What do you want from me?" He asked furiously.

"I don't one word to leave you mouth…ever again."

"Why do you hate me so much!" Inuyasha yelled.

"Because you represent everything that I've lost!" He was staggering over to the younger boy.

"That isn't my fault." Inuyasha stared him straight in the eye.

"It might as well be."

"You're a very sad man…"

They were face to face. He was staring into his father's face with defiance and his father with a hopeless look about him.

Without any notice once so ever his father lifted his fist and slammed it into Inuyasha's jaw. There were several other blows where Inuyasha was too shocked to do anything. But it only took a short time for him to react. He threw his hands out and shoved his father back against the couch.

He wasn't taking anymore of this.

Sei sat in shock but recovered quickly and brought his hand up to hit his son again, but Inuyasha was determined to leave. He didn't care if he was hit, he kicked and punched blindly in front of him and prayed to God that he might hit something.

His father wasn't striking him anymore but Inuyasha didn't care he just kept throwing punches. He could feel his knuckles bleeding; it was soaking through into his sweatshirt and dripping onto his shoes and pants. The side of his face was sticky and he knew that it must have been cut or something. He ached everywhere.

Inuyasha grew tired. He stepped back and his father groaned and slumped against the back of the couch. The teenager stared without remorse. Sei breathed hard but would be fine in a day. It was nothing compared to some of the things he had done to his son.

The bruised and battered boy turned his back on his father grabbed his bag and left the house. He slammed the door on his way out and began to run down the street to the park where he would meet up with Sango and Miroku.

He was crying but he didn't know why. It didn't matter anymore. Up ahead he saw Miroku leaning against his ancient car and Sango sitting atop it. They saw him running up and leaped forward to greet him but Inuyasha ignored them and jumped into the back seat. Miroku and Sango gave each other quick worried glances but hopped into the car as well.

Miroku started the car but turned around to talk to Inuyasha. "What's the matter?"

"Just go." The silver headed boy said quickly.

"Okay." Miroku sped off towards Tokyo and Inuyasha's heart jumped with excitement and anticipation.

"The worst is over." Inuyasha said from the back seat. "The worst is over…" He smiled, his first real one in months.

A/N: I'm doing my happy dance right now! 344 reviews! Yay! Well, I want to thank you all. You're all so sweet and encouraging. :D Thank you, thank you, thank you.

**HayLin4:** That's okay, I forgive you. Hehe. I hate viruses, they suck ass. I've had to reboot my computer twice. Urg. Anyways, thank you for the review. :D

**Whitewolf33:** Yes, they're lovely; happy endings. Thanks.

**Peoplekityo:** Hehe, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)

**DemonSaya:** Haha, I know I just put everyone in the worst situation. I'm so mean! Thank you for the review.

**KInasha14:** Did I really scare you? Haha. I promise not to make Miroku do that again. :D

**Kasandra:** Well, Inuyasha's in this one! Yay for Yasha!

**Akina315: **Oh it's a lovely song. I hope you like this chapter.

**Hanako Horigome:** Hehe, thank you for the review.

**Luv,angel-muzik,baby: **Of course I missed you:D Thanks.

**Inashosetai:** Yes, but Inuyasha beat Sei up in this one so Yay! Thank you!

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**Lonelylulaby:** Sorry it took me so long to update. Bit of trouble with school and stuff. But I hope you like this chapter.

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**Angelic lily:** I promise they will be reunited in the next chapter. Cross my heart hope to die.

**Blacklillygurl:** Haha, I thought we all might need some Sango Miroku fluff, we don't get much of it now a days. Hehe.

**AwaK3 inxth3 Forgott3n Snow: **I'm glad you like the story so much. Thanks for the review.

**Xianora:** Hehe, I'm sure it will end happy. I actually have a crush on the guy that plays Ron…I'm kind of a nerd. Haha. :D Thank you!

**Amanda Trinh:** Haha, next chapter there will be fluff with Inuyasha and Kagome. Haha, I like pocky too. It's really addictive. :D

**AnimeAngelz: **Ew…that's nasty. :P Thank you for the review.

**Inuyashasgirl1517:** Haha, yea he is pretty damn sexy. :D

**Angel61991:** Sorry I've been updating late. There's been a lot of problems at school and with friends. Thank you for the review.

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**Creature of the light:** That's really beautiful. :D You're such a charming person, I'm so thankful that you're step-father didn't do anything to you. Thank you so much for your kindness. I told Huy (my friend) about you and he thought it was one of the sweetest things a stranger has done for him and he thanks you and so do I. :D

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**Avian Dincht:** Liberation! Whoo! Thank you for the review.

**Nanirain:** Hehe:D Thank you for the comment.

Please review!


	22. Frames for Contentment

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

A/N: I'm so sorry that this is so late! I'm sorry! I've been really sick, was in the hospital for 4 or 5 days. Apparently I was dehydrated because I wasn'teating or sleeping enough because of school. Anyways, I'm sorry. : (

So this is "officially" the last chapter, but I'm debating whether or not to write an epilogue, so tell me or something. Thank you. :D

**Cigarettes and Lavender **

**Chapter 22-Frames for Contentment **

**Bi Polar**

The car was slowing down and Inuyasha lifted his head up to look out the window. They were close; he had envisioned this moment in his head over and over again for the past seven months. He could barely keep inside the car; he wanted to jump out right then and there.

Miroku's car slowed to a stop on the curb right next to the 257 steps leading to Kagome's house.

Inuyasha wasted no time in climbing out of the car and standing at the bottom of the steps. This was it. Miroku came to stand behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

The golden eyed teenager turned to face him and held out a hand. "Thank you…for everything." He said quietly.

"What are friends for?" Miroku smiled and shook his friend's hand warmly.

Inuyasha grinned, shook his head, then enveloped Miroku in a large hug. His eyes watered. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." He repeated over and over again, letting go of him.

Miroku gave Inuyasha a small smile. "We're always here for you, just so you know." Inuyasha smirked and nodded his head.

Sango cleared her throat and waited impatiently for the silver haired boy to notice her. Inuyasha greeted her with warm eyes and open arms; she ran straight for them giving him an affectionate embrace. "I'll miss you and I'll make sure that Miroku drives us here to visit you and Kagome." She was crying so hard that it was hard to understand her.

"Why are you crying?" Inuyasha pulled back and looked down at her.

"I'm just so happy." She wiped her eyes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You're like a brother to me, and I'm just so happy to see you safe." She pulled away and stood by Miroku, who put his arm around her waist and held her close as Inuyasha turned to wave one last goodbye before walking up the numerous stairs.

Inuyasha's entire frame was shaking with anticipation. 'God damn all these steps.'

And there she was.

Kagome was standing outside on the porch waiting for him. She was gorgeous, her long hair cascading down her back and shoulders. Her heart shaped face flushed with anxiety and her azure eyes focused on him. The worry lines on her forehead were slowly disappearing. He could see her take a deep breathe and bite her lip.

And in a blink of his eye she was holding him around the waist sobbing into his sweatshirt. His heart felt like it was going to explode with contentment. He wrapped his arms warmly around her tiny frame and held her close, burrowing his face in her lavender scented hair and kissing her neck lightly.

"Everything is going to be alright." He whispered.

"I've missed you." Kagome mumbled into his sweatshirt.

"I've missed you too." He lifted her chin up and smiled down at her and she beamed back. On her tiptoes she gave him a slow chaste kiss, smiling against his lips.

She pulled away and grinned but it vanished when she got a look at him. "Oh my God…what happened to you?" Her worry forehead lines returned.

"I'm fine, really. Now that I'm here." Inuyasha reached out and grabbed her hand.

"No, you're so thin. What happened to you're head." At this she reached up and ran her fingers over his bruised and cut brow. "And you're hands." She looked down and reached for his hands as he looked away. "Oh God, Inuyasha." She looked up, her blue eyes watering. "What happened?"

"We just got in a little fight, that's all." He wouldn't look at her.

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter anymore. You're safe and sound now and that's all that matters." She smiled lightly, wiping her eyes quickly. "Come on, mom will be so excited to see you." She took his hand caked in dry blood and walked eagerly towards the house.

Kagome threw the door open and called out to the entire house. "Mom! He's home!" Her eyes were watering again. She couldn't go more than five minutes without crying a little.

Inuyasha heard something close to a stampede coming down the stairs. And there in the entryway to the kitchen stood Mrs. Higurashi. Her hands held to her mouth in disbelief. She ran up and hugged Inuyasha crying and laughing at the same time. She kissed him repeatedly on the cheek and then pulled back to look at him.

"You're nothing but skin and bones! And those cuts and bruises! Kagome go get the first aid kit, I'll make him something to eat." She gave him one more peck on the cheek and then moved to the refrigerator pulling out this and that, talking and smiling to herself.

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha and grinned. "Told you she'd be excited."

"Where's Souta?"

She frowned and shook her head. "He's…he's not talking to us."

"Why?"

"Because you left." They were in the bathroom and she was getting out the bandages and hydrogen peroxide while he jumped up and sat on the counter.

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha held out his hands for her.

"After you left he just…stopped talking to us." She dabbed the cuts on his knuckles with peroxide and he winced.

"Didn't you explain it to him?"

"Well…sort of." She was wrapping up his hands slowly and daintily.

"Where is he?" He whispered as she finished up with his hands and moved to the cut on his brow. She bit her lip in concentration and wiped his gashed forehead.

"At his friend's house. He'll be back for dinner though." Kagome took the medical tape and the small wads of gauze out of the kit.

"Does he know that I'm here?"

"No." She taped the gauze to his cut and inspected the rest of his face, lightly running her fingers over his cheeks.

"Oh."

"Do you want to change?" She smiled gently at him. He knew she was just trying to reassure him, but he felt a nervous knot in his stomach. Inuyasha shook his head and took a deep breath. It'd be okay, he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.

"Yeah." He hopped off the bathroom counter and walked out into the hallway.

"Well, we have some of my dad's old clothes in the closest."

"No it's okay…I brought some of mine." He whispered holding his old leather bag to his chest.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." He answered quietly.

* * *

He was in her room changing from bloodstained sweatshirt and pants into his brother's old clothes. 

Sitting down on Kagome's floor he took out the old pictures of him and his Sesshomaru. He must have been around 12 then. It was close to Sesshomaru's death. There 15 photographs in all; some of his brother, some of him, and some of both of them together. There was a knock on the door and Inuyasha spun around as Kagome opened it and peeked inside.

"I was just wondering what you were doing." She said innocently.

"Oh, nothing…" Inuyasha roughly stuffed the pictures back in his backpack.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Kagome came to sit next to him and reached over to grab his backpack; she took out the pictures and looked through them with a melancholy look on her face. "Is this your brother?" She asked sorrowfully.

Inuyasha nodded, not trusting himself to say anything.

She didn't know what to say so she didn't. Instead she leaned over and kissed him. Inuyasha leaned in and savored the taste of her lips. "It's going to be okay." She whispered after she broke the kiss.

"I know." He gave her a confident look that made her want to jump for joy.

"You know…" She began thoughtfully, "We could always hang these up." She finished holding the photographs up.

He smiled gently. "I'd like that."

"I'm glad." She picked herself up off the floor and held out her hand for Inuyasha which he took after pocketing the pictures.

* * *

Mrs. Higurashi had been waiting for them. She already had his food out on the table and was waiting for both of them. "There you are! Come, come sit down." She motioned to the chair. 

"Aren't you two going to eat?" He asked politely, feeling a tad bit awkward being the only one at the table with food but both of them sitting there with him.

"Oh we've already eaten dear." She smiled warmly at him.

Kagome gave a quick glance to Inuyasha and he nodded. "Mom…can we get some picture frames." She asked softly.

"What for?"

Kagome gave a quick look to Inuyasha and he pulled out his 15 photos. "For these." He answered calmly.

"Oh." She took them from him and stared at them one by one as he ate quietly. She didn't say anything but instead gave him a loving smile and nodded her head. "Of course we can." She stood up grabbing a few of her favorite ones and hung them on the refrigerator door. "There…I'll buy some frames tomorrow."

They sat there and talked even after he finished his meal. But then they all fell silent when the front door slammed shut. Souta was home. Inuyasha got up from his chair as Souta marched into the kitchen. The young boy didn't even notice him as he opened the refrigerator door.

"Hello Souta." Inuyasha said, clenching his hands together.

Souta whirled around and stared at Inuyasha. "What are you doing here?" He asked disgustingly.

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you supposed to be at _home_?" Souta spat.

"I am."

"No your real home."

"I'm here."

Souta was getting angry. "The home that you left us to go back to, you idiot!" He yelled ferociously. Mrs. Higurashi got up off her chair and made her way to Souta when Inuyasha held out his hand, she stopped in her tracks waiting patiently for the argument to finish.

"You know I wouldn't purposely leave you." Inuyasha answered evenly.

"Then why did you go?"

"There are just some things that you have to do even though you'd rather not."

Souta tried to keep his glare but his eyes were stinging. "Why'd you leave?" He asked shakily.

"My parents were looking for me. You don't know how much I have wished that I hadn't have left." He said seriously.

Souta clenched his hands together and lowered his head. "I'm sorry." He whispered. Inuyasha smiled kindly and came forward to hug Souta. The younger boy cried and clung to his 'brother.' "I'm so sorry." He sobbed.

Inuyasha kneeled down and smiled at Souta. "How about we go play soccer?"

Souta beamed, wiping his eyes with his sweatshirt sleeve and nodded his head vigorously. Dragging Inuyasha outside, he once again tried to teach the older boy how to play soccer. Kagome and her mother watched from the back door smiling gratefully.

Kagome gazed at the pictures hanging on the fridge; a younger Inuyasha gazed back leaning against his older handsome brother, both of them smiling contently. And looking back out the window she saw the same smile spread across his face.

A/N: POLL TIME! Should I or should I not write an epilogue?

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL MY REVIEWERS. 3

**AwaK3 inxth3 Forgott3n Snow:** :D Thank you for the review.

**Peoplekityo:** Maybe one more after this, just the epilogue then I'm never touching this again. Haha. Thank you for correcting it. :D I'm sorry that I didn't email back.

**DemonSaya:** Haha. Thank you for the review. They always make me laugh.

**Kasandra:** Hehe, yup. I'm just glad it's almost over. Hehehe.

**Inuyashabooklover5188:** Death is too good for his dad. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Angel61991:** I apologize for being late but I've been sick. : (

**Tahitianbabe: **I'm sorry for being late. I hope you like this chapter.

**Bubblez4ya:** Haha, I'm so happy that it's almost over. :D

**Caitlin:** I'm glad you liked it so much. I hope you enjoy this chapter too.

**Kingshippo:** Thanks, I think we're going to go with that one. :D Thanks again.

**Hanako Horigome: **Haha. I don't need to scream for my mom to think that I'm crazy. Hehe, thank you for the support. :D

**Hotaru the Firefly:** YAY! Thanks.

**HayLin4: **Hehe. They probably could. :D Sorry for being so late, thank you for the review.

**Angelic lily:** Thank you for the suggestion and for the review.

**Inashosetai:** Hehe, Hope you liked this chapter.

**Inuyashasgirl1517:** Haha, yea that he is. :D Sorry I'm late.

**MoI:** Thank you. I'm so sorry for being late.

**AnimeAngelz:** Haha, I liked your review, it made me laugh. Thanks.

**xSaki-chanx: **:D I'm sorry for being so late

**Fornwalt:** Hehe, I'm glad you liked it. :D

**Whitewolf33:** Hehe, thank you, thank you. Hope you enjoyed this.

**Luv,angel-muzik,baby: **I told them about it and we all agreed that you're right, Cinder for Smiles sounds a lot better. Thank you for the tea and review!

**Abril:** Hehehe, thanks.

**Amanda Trinh:** Haha, thank you! I'm so sorry about being so late. I've been sick…really, really sick. Thank you for the review and the pocky!

**Inudaughter:** I'm so sorry about how late this chapter is. I really am. : ( But thank you for the review.

**Lonelylulaby:** I know, Sess's death is rather depressing. Sorry about not updating sooner, thank you though.

**Xianora:** YAY RUPERT! Haha, your mom has good taste. :D I'm sorry this chapter is so late.

**Blacklilygurl:** Haha, thank you for the review. I apologize on how late this one is.

**Sleep-deprived101:** Thank you. When you get any of your stories posted, tell me, I'd really like to read them. : )

**TheyCallMeTaterSalad:** Thank you. Sorry this is late.

**Akina315: **Hehe, I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I'm sorry this is so late.

**Avian Dincht:** Sorry this isn't that fluffy, but it just didn't seem right…I don't know, I guess I'm just weird. I hope you like it.

**Creature of the night:** It was really fun to get to know you over email. I hope to hear from you again. :D Thank you for the review

Please review.


	23. Good Fortune

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, though by the end of this fanfic I began to think I did.

A/N: This is it. The End.

I apologize for how late this is but I've been bombarded with illness. First the whole dehydration thing and then pneumonia; so it's been hard. But I'm doing better. :D

For all of you out there that were worried about me, thank you. I'm doing better now. I've been sleeping a lot and my mom has been shoveling food down my throat. I'm regaining my strength, thank goodness. Thank you for your concern, it was really sweet. :D

I'm working on 3 other fanfics at the moment. But I'm still a little fidgety about them. So don't plan on anything for the next month or so. But come and see me around March or April and there might be a surprise waiting for you. I'm hoping to maybe finish a couple oneshots. But right now I might just relax. Hehe. Happy Be-lated Holidays.

**Cigarettes and Lavender**

**Chapter 23-Good Fortune/Epilogue **

**Bi Polar**

"I think he'd have liked this one." Inuyasha said softly, pointing to the tall black slab of stone Kagome and him had been studying together.

"Okay." She gave him a warm smile.

It had been five months since last he had seen his parents. But he had heard from them, yes, the whole of Japan had heard from them. They were on the news almost every night for a whole month. He put them where they belonged. Sei and Izayoi Takahashi were rotting behind bars. The trial was promised to take place next year some time. Inuyasha didn't mind when it was, just as long as his parents were in prison.

The Higurashi's had so generously taken it upon themselves to hire an attorney for him. In fact, Kagome's Grandfather was the one who had done most of the work. Of course, they all knew he was trying to make up for his faults and assumptions. Everything had been explained to him the night he returned from his friend's shrine 2 weeks after Inuyasha came back. Inuyasha happily forgave him and now were getting along rather well.

Inuyasha had been working 2 jobs. One at the shrine itself, sweeping and lifting heaving things, and the other at a local bookstore, making coffee, stocking shelves and what not. He enjoyed it most of the time. His wages weren't bad either. A lot of his wealth came off of tips he received at the book store when he served young ladies who happened to think him quite handsome. It became more of a chore to serve coffee after they kept coming to "spy" on him.

He was grateful that Kagome came to visit him at work frequently. After his groupies saw his girlfriend come in they'd sigh and leave sullenly; giving him one last longing look.

Miroku and Sango were finishing up their last year in high school, but would come and visit whenever they got the chance. They didn't treat Inuyasha any differently than before and Inuyasha was indebted to them because of it. He enjoyed their company almost too much. Mrs. Higurashi had started treating them like her children the minute they walked through the front door and they didn't mind the attention. Inuyasha, Miroku, and Souta would play video games and poker while the girls whispered and giggled pretending like the boys couldn't see. They would usually stay two days or so and then were back on their way, but that was okay because they promised that as soon as they were out of school they'd come down here and try to find jobs. Inuyasha couldn't wait until then.

Smiling over at Kagome while she talked to the shopkeeper he felt an overwhelming feeling appreciation. He walked over and grabbed her hand squeezing it affectionately. She grinned back.

"I've got it." He said taking out his wallet.

She looked hesitant but then let him win, knowing that it was important to him. The clerk and his sons promised to deliver it to the correct gravesite tomorrow afternoon if they met them there.

"I'm glad I did that." Inuyasha whispered to her as they made their way out of the shop.

"Me too." She smiled brightly.

"Do you think…do you think that maybe I can just see him alone first?" He asked politely.

"Of course."

* * *

"So how was work Inuyasha?" Mrs. Higurashi asked as she scooped rice onto her plate.

"Fine."

"Those girls still following you around?" Kagome's Grandfather asked with humor.

"Yeah, they like to watch me from the couches." He chuckled. "They think they're being secretive. I think they've grown in size as well." He added thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" Souta asked from across the table.

"Well…before there was probably only 10 or 11 but now they seen to have brought their friends so there's 15 or 16."

"Wow…to tell you the truth, I wouldn't mind having that." Souta said with a blush.

Inuyasha laughed whole heartedly. "There're some girls about your age, maybe I'll bring you to work someday." Souta beamed and nodded his head enthusiastically.

This was life. Having a nice dinner with his family, his very own family. This was how it was suppose to be.

"Oh yes! Inuyasha!" Mrs. Higurashi sounded with a start. "Mrs. Shizuoka called earlier. She wants to meet you tomorrow afternoon."

Mrs. Shizuoka was Inuyasha's case lawyer and he had come to like her very much. She was a middle aged woman with kind eyes hidden behind thick glasses. He liked her because she was easy to talk to, maybe not as easy as Kagome, but still pretty easy. She reminded him very much of Mrs. Higurashi and because of that the two women had become very close.

"But mom we were going to visit his brother tomorrow!" Kagome called from across the table.

"Then I'll call back tonight and maybe she can come over for dinner. Then she and Inuyasha can discuss what they need to afterwards." Mrs. Higurashi answered calmly.

"Thank you, that'd be much better." Inuyasha smiled as he picked up his plate to wash it at the sink.

* * *

The walk to Sesshomaru's gravesite wasn't half as bad and he had thought it would be. In fact, he felt almost excited to get there. It was one of the strangest feelings he had ever had. The headstone shop owner and three of his sons were waiting for him when he arrived and now all six of them were marching up a grassy hill to where his brother's remains lay.

"This is it…" He pointed to an overgrown spot of land where a wooden cross had tipped over.

The four men nodded and lowered the granite tombstone with care. Inuyasha only watched halfheartedly.

"Would like us to stay or anything, sir?" The old clerk asked kindly.

"No…that's fine. Thank you for all your hard work." Inuyasha smiled and shook all of their hands warmly.

Kagome nodded and bowed elegantly. "Thank you." She spoke softly, almost in a whisper.

The clerk and his sons had left and now it was just Inuyasha, Kagome, and Sesshomaru. Kagome peeked out from behind Inuyasha to read what the tombstone said:

_Rest in Peace_

_Sesshomaru Takahashi_

_Beloved brother and friend_

_Your strength protected me from what I could not_

_Your wisdom shielded me from things I did not understand_

_Your kindness helped me overcome the things I feared most_

_And for that you will always be with me_

_Thank you_

_1984-2001 _

She smiled a slow sad smile at what Inuyasha had asked to be engraved in the stone. "Inuyasha…I'll be over there for a little…just to give you two some time alone." She left without his response.

Inuyasha watched the ground for quite some time before he finally spoke. "Hi…" The ground did not respond.

Inuyasha bent down and knelt before his brother's grave. "I really should have visited more often…I'm sorry." He started to pick the weeds and overgrown grass from where his brother rested.

"I'm 18 now…all grown up." His eyes didn't sting like he thought they would. "Mom and dad are in jail. I put them there…for us."

"I've missed you." Now his eyes began to water without warning and Inuyasha wiped the tears away quickly. "I tried to forget…but I couldn't...I just couldn't." His tears were coming down faster and he didn't bother wiping them away. "God I've missed you." His hands shook and he started to frantically pull up more weeds.

"There's been so many times that I've wished that you could be here." His hands were still preoccupied with ripping up the overgrown grass but his eyes were overflowing with tears, he brought a hand up to wipe them away hastily. "Like now…" He stopped ripping and just sat there, his hands and face covered with dirt.

"But I guess I wouldn't be where I am today if you hadn't…gone away." He wiped his hands on his jeans and smiled. "It's all better now. I'm better now. There are no more beatings or drinking or smoking or anything of the sort." He felt so much better now that he said what hadn't been happening aloud.

"I met a girl." He blushed but it disappeared as soon as it had come. "A real nice one. The one I think I'm going to spend the rest of my life with. I'm just waiting until she's out of school until I ask her to…you know, that's all."

He reached out one of his grimy hands and rested it on his brother's tombstone. "I'm going to visit more often now. Let you know what's going on. I know you'll always be here to listen. You always were when you were living." He smiled and wiped the last of his tears away getting more dirt on his already filthy face.

Inuyasha heard Kagome coming; he didn't even have to look to see that it was her. He could sense her very presence and smell her lavender scent. He smiled and got up off the ground to turn and look at her lovely face.

"Have you two had long enough or should I come back?" She asked tenderly.

"No…I think we're fine."

"Oh my, why is your face so dirty?" She asked as she reached one of her hands up to wipe the dirt from his face.

"I just…did a little weeding. I'll take a shower when I get home."

"Oh…Okay." She smiled and then turned her attention to the grave they were standing before. Kagome kneeled down just as Inuyasha had and pulled her purse in front of her, laying down a small bundle of blue forget-me-nots she had been hiding from Inuyasha. She turned to smile up at him. "I found them just now and thought they were pretty." She told him quietly.

Gracefully she took from her purse a small ring of flowers that had been tied together like a crown; it looked like it had been done by a small child. Then she pulled out one of the framed photographs of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. It was the one that had been hanging on the refrigerator, Kagome's favorite and she turned to look back at him with questioning eyes. "May we keep this here?"

He nodded, feeling too overcome to speak. Kagome had done all this for him. Inuyasha went to kneel next to her taking her small fragile hand in his and kissing it lightly, he thanked her with his eyes. "This is Kagome Sesshomaru…the one I told you about." Kagome blushed.

"Hello Takahashi-san." She bowed her head. "Inuyasha has told me so much about you and I must thank you for all that you have done. I brought you some things." She held up the forget-me-nots and smiled. "I found these just now. I thought that maybe you would enjoy them." She smiled and laid them up against the gravestone.

"I also brought you a flower crown I made. I use to make them when I was younger with my father all the time. He passed away when I was small. I guess I brought it because it's a little something of me." She smiled a little and then placed it down besides the forget-me-nots.

"Last but not least, I brought the most important thing of all." She picked up the picture and positioned it carefully next to the flowers. "It's of Inuyasha and you. Such a beautiful photo." She wiped some tears from her eyes. "I'm so pleased to have met you. I want to promise that I will do my very best to take care of Inuyasha." She clasped her hands together and bowed once more.

Inuyasha helped her up from the ground, said one last goodbye, and walked back to Kagome's car, hand in hand. For awhile the two of them just sat in the car.

"Thank you." He whispered without looking at her.

"It's the least I could do for him after he took care of you all those years." She put a soft hand gently on his cheek, smiling kindly. "I'm so proud of you." She said quietly; and she meant it, he could tell just by her eyes. Kagome had cried while she was talking to his brother. He never liked to see her cry but somehow, this time, it comforted him.

"Thank you." He couldn't say it enough. Inuyasha leaned in and covered her mouth with his. They had kissed often after he had got back, he was pleased to say. And although he had never kissed a girl before Kagome, her kisses were the best he ever had. Kagome had told him on more than one occasion that she enjoyed kissing him and he felt the same way. It wasn't like they would do it all the time, it's just that, when they were that close they felt protected.

They separated reluctantly but Kagome reminded Inuyasha that Mrs. Shizuoka was waiting for them back home. They drove slowly because it was quite a scenic drive and relaxing. Halfway through the trip they switched drivers and Inuyasha drove the rest of the way home while Kagome caught up on her sleep.

* * *

They were 45 minutes late but everyone forgave them easily knowing the reason for their tardiness. They had a nice meal and talked of trite things but it was fun, it was warm. Kagome held his hand through most of the dinner. He didn't really know why but halfway through the meal she whispered to him that she was afraid of the news that Mrs. Shizuoka brought. Inuyasha nodded his head; he wasn't as nervous, in fact he felt rather calm and collected.

By the end of the meal Mrs. Shizuoka was ready to discuss business. She and Inuyasha sat in the living room while the rest of the family stayed in the kitchen. She sat in one of the chairs and it looked rather big for her small frame. Inuyasha sat on the couch, his hands clenched closely together.

"Well, Inuyasha I've got some news." She was holding back. He was beginning to sweat and doubt whatever confidence he had at dinner.

"Yes?" He asked in a raspy voice.

"Your mother…" She continued

"What about her?" Inuyasha wasn't concerned for her, as awful as it sounds, he more or so wanted to know whether or not she was free.

"Your mother has agreed to testify against your father. It's a plea bargain so it allows her to be released from jail earlier but it also guarantees us a victory, as well as many years of serving for your father." She smiled brightly, overwhelming proud of her announcement.

Inuyasha began to smile too. "That's great." He said, his grin becoming wider and wider.

"Izayoi will of course still go to prison but just 25 years instead of 35. That's okay, right?"

"Yes, of course. As long as my father is sent away for a very long time."

"Don't worry, he will be." She gave him a small confident wink, reminding him of Mrs. Higurashi.

"Can I go tell Kagome?"

"Sure." Mrs. Shizuoka beamed and waited patiently in the chair for the rest of the family to return.

Soon the living room was filled with Higurashi's. Kagome was hugging and kissing Inuyasha and squealing with delight and pride. Mrs. Higurashi was wiping her eyes thanking Mrs. Shizuoka over and over again. Grandpa and Souta were dancing together laughing at their good fortune.

A/N: So this probably isn't the epilogue you were hoping for. A lot of epilogues are three years into the future and Kagome and Inuyasha are married with 4 kids and all that jazz, but I thought that if I did that…it'd sort of ruin it. I don't know. I guess I also wanted to leave some things up to you guys to continue. Leave it up to your imaginations. I don't know about you but I like stories that leave me thinking at the end, where I can finish it up by myself and where the author doesn't spoon feed you everything that happens. By the way, thank you Inuyasha05. :D

There are so many reviews. My goodness I felt so…I don't know…just wonderful. I want to thank you all. You all kept me really motivated, not only to finish this fanfic but also to start others. At first I was terrified to write and post things, but now I'm thinking it's not so bad. :D **Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your support and kind words.** I usually write back to my reviewers but there's just so many of you this time. Haha, So thank you all!

**IMPORTANT-**Even though technically this fanfic is closed I'll still be checking reviews. I know I sound like a total attention-whore but they really do help keep me writing. Also, I noticed that some of you (creature of the light) tried to contact me through the email I have on my profile. I'm sorry, -guilty look-, but that's not going to work. You see, that one won't let me into it, so I haven't been able to check my email there for like…5 months. But! I do have a new one that you guys can use. It's so whenever you guys want to talk to me or whatever, go ahead and send it to this email instead of the other one.

THANK YOU!


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